Damian Lillard (Part 1)

Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr., born on July 15, 1990, is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. Known for his ability to make clutch shots, he has earned the nickname "Dame Time." Lillard played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats, where he received third-team All-American honors in 2012.
In the 2012 NBA draft, Lillard was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the sixth overall pick. He had an outstanding rookie season, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award for the 2012–13 season. Throughout his career, Lillard has made seven NBA All-Star appearances and has been selected to the All-NBA Team seven times.


In 2021, Lillard won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The same year, he was honored by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. In 2023, following a trade request, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Outside of basketball, Lillard pursues a career as a rapper under the stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A. He has released several albums, including "The Letter O" (2016), "Confirmed" (2017), "Big D.O.L.L.A." (2019), and "Different On Levels The Lord Allowed" (2021). His music has found success on the Billboard 200 chart and indie charts.


Damian Lillard's high school basketball journey began at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, California, where he joined the varsity team as a freshman standing at 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m). However, when his coach did not return to the team, Lillard sought to transfer. He then moved to St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda, California, the same school that produced NBA star Jason Kidd. Despite the move, Lillard faced a lack of playing time and decided to transfer once again.
His final destination in high school basketball was Oakland High School, where he played under coach Orlando Watkins. Lillard excelled on the court, earning First Team All-League honors in his junior and senior years. During his junior season, he averaged an impressive 19.4 points per game. As a senior, Lillard elevated his game even further, averaging 22.4 points and 5.2 assists per game while leading Oakland High School to a 23–9 record.


Despite his success, Lillard was only regarded as a two-star prospect by recruiting services like Rivals.com. However, he received a scholarship offer from Weber State University, a program in the Big Sky Conference located in Ogden, Utah. Weber State was the first college basketball program to show interest in Lillard, with head coach Randy Rahe personally attending one of his games in Texas during his junior year of high school. Lillard ultimately chose Weber State over other offers, including those from schools like Wichita State, Saint Mary's, and San Diego State. One factor in his decision was his desire to escape the violence of his Oakland neighborhood.


During his freshman year at Weber State, Damian Lillard made an immediate impact, averaging 11.5 points per game. His stellar performance earned him recognition as the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year and a spot on the first-team All-Big Sky.
Lillard continued to excel in his sophomore year, increasing his scoring output to an impressive 19.9 points per game. He played a crucial role in leading the Wildcats to the conference championship and was honored as the Big Sky Player of the Year. Additionally, he received honorable mention All-American recognition from the Associated Press.
In the 2010–11 season, Lillard led the Big Sky in scoring with 19.7 points per game before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. As a result, he took a medical redshirt.


Returning as a redshirt junior, Lillard showcased his scoring prowess, averaging 24.5 points per game and leading the nation in scoring for much of the season. Despite finishing second to Reggie Hamilton in scoring, Lillard's impact on the court was undeniable. He delivered standout performances, including a career-high 41-point game against San Jose State.
At the end of the season, Lillard earned his third first-team all-conference selection and secured his second Big Sky Player of the Year award. He was also a finalist for the prestigious Bob Cousy Award.
Widely regarded as the top point guard prospect in the country, Lillard made the decision to forgo his senior season and enter the 2012 NBA draft. He concluded his college career as the second-highest scorer in Weber State history and the fifth-highest scorer in Big Sky history.
Despite leaving college early to pursue his NBA career, Lillard remained committed to his education and completed his degree in professional sales from Weber State University in May 2015.

References

1.  "Damian Lillard NBA.com profile". NBA.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
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3. ^ Eggers, Kerry (April 7, 2016). "Damian Lillard: The Face of the Blazers". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
4. a b Buckner, Candace (January 10, 2013). "Blazers' Lillard is just a little kid from Oaktown". The Columbian. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
5. a b "Damian Lillard's high school coach saw the skill and chip". MaxPreps.com. January 8, 2014. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
6. ^ "Damian Lillard – Yahoo! Sports". Rivals.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
7. ^ Spears, Marc J. (June 25, 2012). "Weber State's Damian Lillard will make name for himself after NBA draft". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
8. ^ Hein, Brett (October 11, 2021). "'I really bleed purple': Damian Lillard's full speech at Weber State Hall of Fame induction banquet". Standard-Examiner. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
9. ^ Leung, Diamond (July 17, 2010). "Weber State star Lillard making an impact". ESPN.com. ESPN. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
10. ^ "Damian Lillard Player Profile, Highlights, Offers..." Verbal Commits. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
11. ^ "Damian Lillard Named 2009–10 Big Sky MVP". weberstatesports.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
12. ^ "Lillard gets medical redshirt; Wildcat star's junior season restored". standard.net. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
13. ^ "Weber St. 91, San Jose St. 89". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 3, 2011. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
14. ^ "Big Sky Conference – Lillard Among Cousy Final Five". .bigskyconf.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
15. ^ "Big Sky Conference – Lillard Declares for NBA Draft". .bigskyconf.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2013.