Get to know Damian Lillard’s inspiring Journey to the Top
Nicknamed ‘Dame Time’, America’s basketball star Damian Lillard is regarded as one of the NBA’s clutch and successful players over the past decade.
Lillard is a point guard who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks and wears an iconic No.0 shirt which represents the letter ‘O’ as he began his career from Oakland to Ogden, and then to Oregon.
The NBA star has three children, his first son is known as Damian Jr., while his twins are called Kali and Kalii.
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Early Playing Days.
Damian Lillard can now look back at his exploits in the NBA and the American National team and deem them remarkable.
However, like many top stars in basketball, he has had to rise through the ranks only by hard work from the youth system.
As a freshman at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, Lillard was integrated into the varsity team but later transferred to Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda after his coach left Arroyo.
Months later, he switched to Oakland High School due to a lack of frequent game time, competing at a very high level with an average of 19.4 assists per game.
Weber State then came calling for Damian Lillard through a scholarship program, and the now 34-year-old was crowned Big Star Player of the Year with the Associated Press pointing him out as one for the future.
Crucial Years of Breakthrough (2012-2014)
Between 2012 and 2014, Lillard went on to secure a number of feats that would surely earn him a place as a professional in the NBA.
In 2012, he was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers as the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft.
In that season against the Los Angeles Lakers, Lillard made 23 points and 11 assists to become the third rookie in history to clinch those numbers on their NBA debut.
In the 2012/13 season, he also finished fifth in the NBA for most three-pointers made and was ‘Rookie of the Month’ for every month all season.
Damian Lillard became Rookie of the Year and has since taken the world by storm, choosing not to relent in any way.
The season after, he scored over 40 points in many games he played and was selected as part of the NBA All-Star Game in the 2014/15 season.
The Big Numbers and Awards
Lillard has loads of accomplishments to look back on in his career. One of his recent awards is the 2024 NBA All-Star MVP after his stunning year of competing at a remarkably high level.
Here is a list of records held by Damian Lillard in the NBA after his impressive 12-year career.
◦ An eight-time NBA All-Star in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024.
◦ The 2024 NBA All-Star MVP
◦ 2021 NBA 75th Anniversary Team
◦ All-NBA First Team 2018
◦ Four-time All NBA Second Team in 2016, 2019, 2020 and in 2021
◦ Two-time All-NBA Third Team
◦ The NBA Player of the Seedling Games in 2020
◦ The 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year
◦ Two-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion in 2023 and 2024
◦ 2013 NBA All-Rookie First Team, two-time NBA Rising star in 2013 and 2013, and also NBA Teammate of the Year in 2021.
The records speak for themselves as Lillard has more honors from both College and his professional career combined in addition to his exploits in the provided list.
For Team USA in competitive tournaments, Lillard clinched the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, adding to his long list of accolades.
Societal Impact
Damian Lillard may be one of the clutch players on the court but is still a dominating personality on the frontlines of Fashion and Culture.
The NBA star is also a hip-hop rapper named D.O.L.L.A, which represents ‘Different on Levels the Lord Allows’, and has featured some top artists like Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne in his music journey.
Many fans have fallen in love with Lillard’s style of music, and he has racked in some crucial endorsement deals, with Swiss Watch agency ‘TISSOT’ being one of those brands.
According to Forbes, Damian Lillard is the fifth highest-paid NBA player in 2024, with a staggering $64.8 million in his account.
Lillard may have found his way up to the top, but just like many great sports icons, he has faced a fair bit of ridicule after some defeats in professional matches.
Nonetheless, he has always shown the will to never back down and is fully focused on bouncing back on the “beautiful struggle” called life.
Damian Lillard recently responded to the question about rapper GloRilla shooting her shot at him and stated that he “only has respect for the artist” and that there is “nothing going on.”
Lillard continues to inspire many young athletes and fans on and off the court, and the new generation will be aiming to emulate his legacy.
