That doesnt mean its always going to go right, or its always going to be fun, but whatever happens we have to keep marching forward. And it has made him who he is today. Despite his teams struggles, Lillard is one of the best performers ever in the summer classic. The Daily Campus is UConn's independent, student-run newspaper. Theres also a stage that can host school Christmas pageants. I stuck with it for the most part. When the Blazers team bus pulls into Oracle this afternoon, Lillard will have already repeated countless times that its no big deal. Damian Lillard was drafted by Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 2012 NBA Draft. He wanted us to play on, Watkins said. When a team presents that type of defense, accept it and embrace it and depend on teammates to take them out of that coverage, Lillard said. The Trail Blazers vs. the Rockets wasnt a game many had marked on their calendar, as Houston is all but eliminated with a 13-47 record thus far while Portland has flirted with a .500 record all season. They pushed the ball. Jerami Grant scored 13 points and Nassir Little came off the bench for 11. Lillard and Adidas donated money to help refurbish Oakland Highs gym, add a new scoreboard and build a desperately needed weight room that led to the disposal of aged steel weights. After being selected by Portland with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, Lillard was unanim In fact, according to the Portland Trail Blazers, Lillard has a career shooting percentage of 29.1% on three-point shots. Many of these one-on-ones devolved into wrestling matches, and Junior wouldnt let the runt win those either. Williamson (hamstring) hasn't played for the Pelicans since Jan. 2. It was the ultimate example of walking the talk. NBA point guard Jason Kidd once attended there, but Lillard could not follow his path at the private school. Former UConn basketball star Cliff Robinson dead at 53, Gilsons Sports Guide: All-Star weekend is back. For me, I cant play basketball for the rest of my life. Williams went off for 12 points in the first half on Saturday. The core of this team will remain intact: Five of the Wildcats top six scorers, including Williams 19.8 per game, were underclassmen. Bulls vs. Pistons odds, picks, prediction, bets, Knicks vs. Nets odds, picks, prediction, bets, Hawks have a Trae Young problem, Quin Snyder must fix, Nikola Jokic becomes 6th player with 100 triple-doubles, Bucks get 15th straight win, complete perfect February, Kobe's widow to receive $28M after crash photos lawsuit. From then on, I was like, What do I need to do? . That was actually the first time being tested in my career after a game.. But the bunches of points came, with the most emphatic coming near the end, when his driving dunk while being fouled by Jabari Smith Jr., gave him 58 points, and the ensuing free throw 59 points. Despite not attending a major college basketball program, Damian Lillard has proven that he is one of the best players in the NBA. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Now that the NBA All-Star Game has passed, we look forward to an exciting second half of NBA action to decide which teams will make a playoff appearance. Lillards performance was so special that even league officials took notice and randomly drug tested him immediately after the contest. But within those city limits, he learned something more valuable. Since Lillard has been around, Portland has been as far as the Western Conference Championship once, where they were swept by Steph Curry and the Warriors. He has been named Oregon Sportswriter of the Year four times by the National Sports Media Association and has been recognized by APSE and the Pro Basketball Writers Association. The dunk was so powerful, so quick and so aggressive that maybe Lillard shouldnt have been so shocked about what was waiting for him after the game. He is shooting 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range for a 27.5% scoring average. The two Oakland-born guards arent made in the same mold. After that happened, many people thought they would witness something special that night, like Carmelo Anthonys eerily similar performance in 2014. International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. He used to be able to dunk on you, but he hasnt been able to in years and his knees still hurt. When the tree was taken down by the city when he was in 5th grade, his grandfather nailed milk crates to the telephone pole on Clara Street to form a makeshift hoop. With 15 points and 13 rebounds, Watts secured his second straight double-double, after collecting 18 and 12 in a quarterfinal win. As a junior at Oakland, he averaged 19.4 points per game. Ive been around the league a long, long time and 71 I mean, that was incredible, man.. As Watkins explained, Lillards size and role as a facilitator was a hang up for bigger colleges. To the more than 19,000 in attendance, it was so moving and so unmistakable that something special was happening that a palpable tension started building in the first quarter. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Despite a recent injury that limited him for much of last season, Portlands star guard appears to be in good shape heading into this season. So, I live for the moments when Im taking over and dominating games, but I dont live for the stuff that comes afterwards, Lillard said. The Portland star will look to resume his scoring prowess when the Trail Blazers host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. The force of his fourth-quarter dunk. Damian Lillard has made it very clear that he is loyal to the Portland Trail Blazers. He loves Oakland. Oakland streets are no joke. No. Thats when I realized how tough it could be. A lot of the things I am going to be interested in when Im done playing, Im going to need a college degree for those things. Despite playing for a relatively unknown high school, Lillard was a very good player and was recruited by several colleges. Money yes, thats his given name, and yes, theres a story may be the best player to pass through Oakland High since Damian Lillard. Much like art, there were many interpretations of why Lillards performance was so exceptional. I was on the team, but wasnt getting in the games. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. THE DAILY CAMPUS1266 STORRS ROADSTORRS, CT 06269, USA860-486-3407. The contest was the second of a back-to-back for the Trail So, Lillard backed off from scoring. In addition, with one win, he is one win away from becoming the first player in league history to qualify for the playoffs in each of his six seasons. I think thats why I was able to branch off and do my own thing.. The Trail Blazers will continue to fight despite losing one of their best players in the absence of Damian Lillard. To Billups, it was the efficiency and the unselfishness. Lillards event came about two months after Oakland High senior football player Antwaun Williams was fatally shot in a bowling alley parking lot in the suburb of Alameda, California. He connected on 22 of 38 field goal attempts while making 13 of 22 I think thats the main thing, I dont fear people. These memories reveal the legend of a boy from Brookfield, cultivated and cared for by the hands in his hometown. They started firing on him at halfcourt.. Lillard passed to Matisse Thybulle for a dunk. News never stops. Damian Lillard sits on a bleacher inside the Portland Trail Blazers practice facility and romances about his hometown. Wednesday's contest will mark the first time that Lillard and CJ McCollum will be on the floor as opponents. As a youth, he learned to shoot in his grandmothers yardin Oakland, Calif., where there was an oak tree. WebDamian Lillard has made at least $193,078,512 playing professional basketball. 13 Campolindo in boys Division I regional, Christian high school basketball team forfeits tournament rather than play against transgender player, CIF NorCal basketball: No. Oklahoma City (28-32) lost 124-115 at Sacramento (35-25). I grew up in East Oakland, it was tough there, Lillard says. His is a gritty town. But today in East Oakland, theyll tell the stories. The extension would keep Portlands star player under contract until 2026-27, though he has a player option for that year. At the 2010 All-Star Game, he became the first NBA player to participate in all five events. Every Sunday morning, Gamble showed up to unlock the doors at 9, and Lillard would be there waiting. So when you think Lillard might be gassed as one of the top 10 league leaders in minutes played (38.1 per game), just know that as a fifth-grader he played basketball for as long as some of us work a 9-to-5 shift. Gamble can hardly believe that the 22-year-old pro he watched drain a game-clinching three in Madison Square Garden is the same little boy who used to shut down the Brookfield Rec. Lillard has enjoyed a solid career, averaging 25 points per game and an exceptional 90% from the charity stripe, everything you look for in a franchise player. Im not scared of nobody. The Blazers shot 54.5% from the field while hitting on 20 of 39 threes (51.3%). You couldnt tell me it wasnt going to happen.. McDaniel Highs TaKwain Montgomery is the epitome of Show Up, Work Hard and Be Kind. The game plan was keep me out of the middle, double-team me, make me go right, so I had to get my teammates involved, he said. Please contact damianlillardclassic@gmail.com if interested. He averaged 19.4 points as a junior and 22.4 points and 5.3 assists as a senior, earning First Team All-League honors both years. You couldnt leave the locker room with your gym bag until you were leaving the school. Bolted doors and insults are nothing to a boy from Brookfield Village. Everyone knew he was taking the shot at that point, but it didnt matter Lillard was too quick. Oakland lost that game 49-45 and Lillard fouled out late. 13 Clovis North, Oakland Tech girls rout Priory to reach Division III final, Carlmont boys lose on 40-foot shot at the buzzer. The team has not yet made a decision on when Lillard will return to the court. To Lillard, the art was in the timing and what it meant for the teams playoff chances. "We're a young team, and we're going through a lot of injuries," McCollum told reporters. He is a six-time NBA All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Team member. About the leader who spent the final moments of his high school career near the bench, but instead of sulking about fouling out, he stood and applauded his OHS teammates. To his credit, he just kept working, Lippi says. We just didnt execute down the stretch, Watkins said. 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