Role Model Feature Story: Damian Lillard
In 2012, the Portland Trail Blazers took a shot on Damian Lillard at the sixth pick in the NBA Draft. Little did I know that one decision would have a significant influence on my life.
BackStory
You see, I’m born and raised a Blazer fan. My early childhood was spent listening to Mike and Mike on the radio in my room as the Jail Blazers continuously found ways to lose basketball games. Sure, I was pretty young and didn’t understand certain aspects of the game, but who cares. I was all in and loved the excitement and competitiveness. Suspensions? Yep. Fights? Every game. Off-Court Issues? Count on it. Unfortunately, I had a hard time looking up to any of these players, excluding Zach Randolph. He always tried to remove himself from the drama and I respected that. I’m looking forward to the upcoming documentary for this era.
Luckily, once the Jail Blazers separated, the organization was focused on rebuilding and starting fresh. In 2005 they hired Nate McMillan as head coach. They started to bring respected players into the mix, like Joel Prysbilla, Martel Webster, Jarrett Jack, Damon Stoudamire, and others. The organization finally started turning the corner. This is when I became a die-hard fan. I was old enough to understand the intricacies of the game and began forming positive relationships with some (but not all) of the players. I remember having a very mixed view of Rasheed Wallace, for example. He never failed to make a game more physical and exciting.
Then the real fun began. We got LaMarcus Aldridge. Greg Oden (the next superstar center!) was drafted. Brandon Roy, one of the most underrated stars to this day, began his career. Overseas players like Batum and Fernandez brought excitement both locally and internationally to the franchise. Steve Blake, one of my personal favorites, was an expert facilitator. Outlaw brought great defense and energy. Channing Frye was a perfect fit for the defensive scheme. Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace tried to fill Greg Oden’s role when injuries took him down. Wesley Matthews, who is also tragically underrated, joined the Blazers. Wow, the pieces might be there for a playoff run! It was a spectacle to watch Brandon Roy carry the franchise at his peak. He had superstar skills. Even Kobe agreed. Then, Brandon Roy’s knee’s happened. It wasn’t fair, because he was just establishing himself as one of the best players in the league. Typical. You come to expect this as a Portland fan. Cue the rebuilding, yet again.
When I was a senior in high school, the Blazers had Aldridge, Batum, Matthews, Lopez, and a young Damian Lillard as a starting unit. McCollum was on the bench, but nobody knew how good he or Lillard was going to be in the league yet. This was a good team, and I thought there’s a chance for a deep playoff run. This is when I was completely invested in the Blazers. I watched or listened to almost every game, and loved almost all of the players on this team.
Damian Lillard
Ever since Dame was drafted, I knew he was going to be a special player. The national media didn’t give him the attention he deserved from the very beginning, even when it was inevitable he would become rookie of the year. The organization invested in his work ethic and leadership abilities. They knew he was relentless in achieving excellence on and off the court. Despite his incredible play, he didn’t even make it to an all-star game until 2014. What people don’t realize is that Dame saved this franchise from inevitable failure. We lost 4 out of 5 starters in 2013. Lopez gone. Batum gone. Matthews gone. LaMarcus gone. All with very little ROI I might add. The following season was supposed to be a free-fall to the lower half of the western conference en-route to another top 3 pick that we would inevitably choke (just like Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan). But, that wasn’t the case. Damian Lillard decided to change the entire culture of the Trail Blazers Organization. He used his leadership skills to bring out the very best in the role players around him, including our treasured CJ McCollum. This transformation hasn’t been talked about enough. Now, not only did he find a way to get his team to the playoffs for 6 years in a row, but he took us to the Conference Finals last year. I mean, wow. Superstar level. He accomplished this by motivating every player on the Trail Blazers team to become the best version of themselves. Team cohesion and friendship is a huge reason for the success in the last decade. Please keep in mind that he doesn’t have LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard to lean on when times get tough. When he’s on a roll, teams will double or triple him to try and slow him down. That’s tough with his size. But now, it doesn’t matter. He continues to level up his game. When he sees flaws in his game, he eliminates those flaws. Dame plays terrific defense, which was something he struggled with his first few years. Now, he can tire you out on both ends of the floor. His range has somehow increased. His speed and basketball IQ is through the roof. His finishing down low is almost unstoppable. If he wants to get 10 assists per game, he’ll do it. It’s amazing to watch. Despite all of this, the media continues to overlook aspects of his game. Sometimes, being committed to a small-market franchise has it’s negatives. But that stuff doesn’t matter to him. In fact, it gives him the fuel he needs to continue pushing for excellence in all aspects of his life.
Think about this for a second. The 2019-20 season has been wild. Nurkić hasn’t played all year due to injury (in fact, the Blazers didn’t have him on the court and still found a way to play in the Western Conference Finals.) Whiteside has been missed several games. CJ missed a few games as well. Collins is out for the season. Hood is out for the season. Plus, Kanter, Harkless, Turner, Curry, Leonard, and Aminu were all traded in the offseason. SO HOW THE HELL ARE WE STILL A HALF A GAME OUT OF THE 8TH SEED? You know the answer. Damian Lillard’s leadership. I hope the 2019-20 season can continue despite the pandemic, because I want Dame to prove the doubters wrong once again in the playoffs this year.
When I think through all of this, certain leadership traits come to mind. Dame is self-aware, and knows how to bring out the best in himself. Distractions are just that, and he will continue to do everything possible to bring a championship to Portland. He leads by example. Teammates want to be a part of something larger then themselves. He's not afraid to be himself. He will express his feelings through rap, interviews and other creative outlets all the time. Finally, he has a tremendous amount of empathy. He will continue to do everything he can to use his platform for good. I truly believe that.
In all, I just want to say thank you, Damian Lillard, for giving people like me someone to look up to. I’m grateful to have you represent the great city of Portland and I look forward to what the future will bring.
Mark my words: Damian Lillard will bring a second championship to Portland.
Hayden Schuster
