But today in East Oakland, theyll tell the stories. When he got antsy, he practiced dribbling with his left hand, or shot alone on the side rims. pic.twitter.com/2bxOgvcUKm. Damian Lillard doesnt think this a special day. Saturdays results, Tuesdays championship schedule, Campo elevates its play, routs Riordan to reach Open boys final, Mitty girls too much for Clovis West in Open semis, Naya Epps heats up, leads No. Damian Lillard attended Oakland in Oakland, California and Weber State. Damian Lillard has made it very clear that he is loyal to the Portland Trail Blazers. He was the stubborn little guy who showed up before the doors of the neighborhood recreation center were unlocked, wearing yesterdays shorts and bouncing the basketball his Pops had ordered from a magazine. The final four of Williams game-high 17 points Saturday night came inside the final 2 minutes, but with 7 seconds left, after Tyric Herods heroics on the other end had given Bullard-Fresno a one-point lead, Williams didnt get the ball on the final possession. WebDamian Lillard has made at least $193,078,512 playing professional basketball. Bolted doors and insults are nothing to a boy from Brookfield Village. The Blazers star was honored with a retired jersey while gifting his schools sports and music programs. In fact, he played his high school ball at a school in his hometown of Oakland, California that many people have never heard of: Oakland High School. Williams final free throw put Oakland ahead 59-56, a minute away from reaching the Division III NorCal finals. In addition to his 25 points, five assists, five boards, and one steal per game, the Portland Trail Blazers forward is the only player in NBA history to top 25 points, five assists, five boards, and one steal per game. They have been to the playoffs eight times, an excellent mark for Blazer fans. Ive been around the league a long, long time and 71 I mean, that was incredible, man.. I think that Dame played for an AAU with a bunch of other guards, and he was their main scorer. He recalled some of the challenges attending the very diverse Oakland public high school and playing basketball against local schools with tough backgrounds. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Copyright 2023 STATS LLC and Associated Press. He killed us on the glass.. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. (The back of his jersey, if it had a name, would say, Williams Jr.). Williams, already taller than Lillard, is adept at slashing through traffic and getting to the rim, often drawing contact in the process. Having 41 at the half was insane, Billups told reporters. The Pelicans also will be without guard Jose Alvarado (lower leg) and forward Larry Nance Jr. (ankle). 2020-21 NBA Stat Leaders - Damian Lillard Stats, News, Bio | ESPN Lillard was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and has since established himself as one of the best players in the league. I was playing to keep the lead instead of playing to score a bunch of points.. One of the branches grew into the shape of a hoop. OAKLAND In his first action after being eliminated, coach Orlando Watkins walked to midcourt, outstretched his arm, and picked his star player up from the hardwood. I can remember back in seventh grade when I really started to care about when I won or lost and if somebody was better than me, Lillard says. The guard is a rarity in professional sports today, as he has spent his entire 10-year career with the team that drafted him, despite rumors circulating he might sign with a different team. ), Position: It was just like it was normal. A Pacific Northwest native and graduate of Arizona State University, Evan previously covered the Philadelphia Phillies for MLB.com and a variety of topics for his hometown newspaper, The Seattle Times, before joining BANG, where he has also chronicled a pandemic, the prep sports scene and the Golden State Warriors 2021-22 championship season. Hes been like that. The only reason that Damian Lillard has never won a scoring title is that he has yet to make a three-point shot. There were a lot of memories over there. I stuck with it for the most part. Young invited the entire team into his Doubletree hotel room for a final meeting. Despite his teams struggles, Lillard is one of the best performers ever in the summer classic. Steve Dykes. A piece of art.. Support OregonLive. He knew his sense was real after he hit his second 3-pointer in the first quarter. On Saturday afternoon, following practice and after he had planted the seed of urgency into his teammates, Lillard spoke to the media while drinking a bottle of water. For me, its the beauty in it for where we are as a team, for one, Lillard said. 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. Damian Lillard was largely overlooked as a high schooler. Right, Born: After his solid junior year, Lilllard would declare for the NBA Draft, and the Portland Trail Blazers would take him No. It was the ultimate example of walking the talk. I mean, his composure he was never rah, rah, rah, Reddish said. "I was able to find opportunities in the first half," Lillard said afterward. It was part of the artistry that Billups was referring to. Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 2012 NBA Draft, More Damian Lillard pages at Sports Reference. Lillard was heading into his junior high school year when his Rebels bombed at their last summer tournament. I was just having a hard time, Lillard said. I couldnt wait to get here.. 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. (29-32, 11th place in NBA Western Conference). MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited. Damian Lillard averaged 19.4 points as a junior. He let me transfer to Oakland High before the year was over. The Trail Blazers had a lot of problems in the second half while losing for the sixth time in nine games. I ran back, and it was a LOUD cheer, almost like the crowd was like, Something is getting started,' Lillard said. Lillards performance was so special that even league officials took notice and randomly drug tested him immediately after the contest. When the season ended, the basketball coach there, Don Lippe, he basically told me, I dont know if youre going to be on this team. He broke down all these numbers saying, This many high school basketball players go to college, this many get a scholarship, this many play pro, this many make it to the NBA It got down to this really small number and he was like, This is how hard it is. I told him, I know, and he smirked at me and chuckled. It brought me down from up here (places hand as far as he could reach above his head) to the floor.. Two-hour practices, hed yell at us, call us every name in the book, throw hard-ass passes and the ball would hit us in the chest, Lillard says. McDaniel Highs TaKwain Montgomery is the epitome of Show Up, Work Hard and Be Kind. And Lillard threw a long lob pass to Shaedon Sharpe for a dunk. Damian Lillard was born in Oakland, California. I was like, are you serious? Lillard said. And for what I represent, what I put into the game, how I handle myself, how I handle success. Thats the East Oakland neighborhood that time and urban development have forgotten. 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. For me, I cant play basketball for the rest of my life. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The contest was the second of a back-to-back for the Trail Blazers and Lillard had just returned from a calf injury. In his second season, he established a career high by scoring 41 points against the Sacramento Kings. In addition to becoming the fastest player in NBA history to reach 600 three-pointers in a game, he also set a record for the most three-point baskets in a game. section: | slug: damian-lillard-looks-to-lead-trail-blazers-past-pelicans | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | Funny enough, crazy is a word Lillard used to describe the night. Damian Lillards high school coach says Logo Lillard existed back then. Sunday was the Blazers first home game since the All-Star break, so the team planned to honor Lillard before the national anthem for winning the 3-point shooting contest at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. He was funny, friendly and full of life, Oakland High assistant principal Shoshanna Towers told Patch.com. The two-time NBA All-Star arrived back at his high school in Oakland, California, at a time when a morale boost was sorely needed. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. We cant look at a game like tonight, like oh, we playing Houston, we supposed to win no. It comes as no surprise that Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is one of the all-time best NBA players. You have the potential to play big-time college basketball, but you cant even play for me. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The celebration surrounding Damian Lillard s record-breaking performance was short-lived. Poole, Thompson rally Warriors back to beat Blazers 123-105, Official held in Vegas reporter killing aims to drop lawyer, Father of cellphone sees dark side but also hope in new tech, On college campuses, sports betting agreements are shielded, Washington bill would let transgender people seal name-change requests. The Pelicans didn't take advantage of the one home game, as they lost 101-93 to the Orlando Magic on Monday night. The future Trail Blazers star was named Big Sky Player of the Year twice and capped off his senior season with 24.5 points per game for Weber State. As one of the worlds most talented basketball players, he is an imposing figure. Portland (29-31) moved into 11th place in the West, one-half game behind New Orleans and Minnesota for the final two play-in berths, and three games behind Phoenix for the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Lillard scored a career-high 71 points to lead the Blazers to an 131-114 victory at the Moda Center. The first of Williams five second-half free throws was all the Wildcats could score for the first portion of the third quarter while Bullard flipped the game on an 11-2 run. Lillard scored 60 points on Jan. 25 during a victory over Utah. I think thats what happened tonight not just for Money but for some of our other kids, too.. The team has not yet made a decision on when Lillard will return to the court. 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. Damian Lillard High School Pos PG Height 6-1 Weight 185 Timeline Prospect Info High School Oakland City Oakland, CA Class 2008 Watch Highlights He is a scoring machine who always helps his team win. The 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year has blossomed into the face of the Portlands franchise and an NBA star. home/away, monthly, etc More Damian Lillard Basketball Reference pages, 2022-23 Trail Blazers His injury is a blow to the Trail Blazers, who are desperate for a win in order to qualify for the playoffs. Its inspiring. After the performances by famous rappers, after the jersey retirement, the man whose name adorns the far wall grabbed the microphone. Damian Lillards high school has another star, but it still cant get over the hump No. He looked calm and cool while propped against the headboard of his bed, but after he was done critiquing everyone in sight, those players wanted to hide under the covers. Once he told me I could be a Division I player, that was all I needed to hear, Lillard says. He is shooting 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range this season, scoring a total of 27 points on the season. at If I was a high school student, I would say, He did that from here. Lillard was just 2 of 7 from behind the arc after hitting 13 treys against Houston to tie for the second most in NBA history. This past year, he received the Magic Johnson Award for demonstrating excellence on and off the court while also demonstrating respect for the media and the general public. So he enrolled at Saint Joseph Notre Dame. I was on the team, but wasnt getting in the games. Passing Clyde Drexler: Ive always said I wanted to be the best | Is he the greatest Trail Blazer of all time? Oakland streets are no joke. Portland needs Lillard to have more explosive nights like Sunday, and if he does, this Blazer team can certainly win on any given night. Instagram: Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said what stood out to him the most was how efficient Lillard was all night. Every game I wanted to kill, then go look at the rankings. I stayed there for like two more days and I begged my dad to leave. Lillard was out with a season-ending abdominal injury when the teams played twice last season after the trade. 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. We dont get a lot of this at school with Fetty Wap, Lil Uzi and DJ Esco, Dame right in front of us. A lot of times you dont get that inspiration right in your presence. Oakland High had a gift for Lillard, too, as the school retired his old jersey. There was a prescient conversation with general manager Joe Cronin before the national anthem. To Billups, it was the efficiency and the unselfishness. I think theres a lot of power in my story, just my entire life, Lillard said. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. He played in 103 games, starting 98 of them. Among players who have attempted at least 2,000 three-point shots in their careers, that is the worst percentage. Damian Lillard is on Twitter at Dame_Lillard. The teams traded leads eight times and neither led by more than six points. Its crazy. Find out more. And after 39 minutes of absorbing double teams and traps, the point guard had six assists and only two turnovers. I remembered after [that shooting] happened they had metal detectors at games and your mom couldnt bring her purse in. And when they trapped him, he made the right passes. Ever. Its just unbelievable, Gamble says. Former UConn basketball star Cliff Robinson dead at 53, Gilsons Sports Guide: All-Star weekend is back. On top of that, he averages a career-high 32.3 points per game and has the potential to lead his team to the playoffs, where anything can happen. In his sweatsuit pocket was another bottle of water, unopened. I thought the guys fought. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. (Basketball) is art to me because there are so many things that go on within a team, within a game, within a season, Lillard said. Despite his numerous accomplishments, he has yet to win the scoring title in what has been a fantastic season. He connected on 22 of 38 field goal attempts while making 13 of 22 To him, backing up his talk underscored his underdog journey from lightly recruited high schooler to being named one of the NBAs Top 75 greatest players of all time. In Tuesdays 118 101 loss to the Jazz, Damian Lillard led all players with 21 points (6-10 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 6-6 FT). They started firing on him at halfcourt.. Williams said he was thinking of the seniors when he fell to the floor, and Watkins listed the careers of five players coming to an end as what stung the most in a loss that ended an otherwise stellar season, Oaklands most wins in any of Watkins 17 seasons. The two close friends represented the starting backcourt in Portland for 6 1/2 seasons before McCollum was traded to the Pelicans 12-plus months ago. During his four years at high school, he attended three schools: Arroyo High, St. Joseph Notre Dame (SJND), and Oakland High. There was a shooting at a game when I was in high school when we played at McAteer, he said. New Orleans is just 7-18 during his absence. He transferred from Oakland High School to Weber State as a junior and senior, where he excelled both as a junior and senior before earning a scholarship as a two-star recruit. He is shooting 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range for a 27.5% scoring average. And we just fell short.. He was selected by Portland with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lillard scored 16 in the first quarter, 25 in the second quarter, nine in the third quarter and 21 in the fourth. Big dude is a load, Watkins said. As Money Jr. tells it, his grandmothers brother struck it rich, and she went on to bequeath one of her children with the name. After being selected sixth overall in the 2012 NBA draft, the Trail Blazers selected Lillard in the first round of his NBA career. It was good for all the students to see how important that part is. Aaron Fentress | The Oregonian/OregonLive, third all time behind Kobe Bryant (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (32), Lillards 71 points is only the 13th game in NBA history. About the undersized point guard, overlooked by Bay Area schools, who went to Weber State with a chip the weight of one of those old dirty bricks on his shoulder and developed into the future of a franchise. Despite not attending a major college basketball program, Damian Lillard has proven that he is one of the best players in the NBA. With the playoffs heating up, the Blazers will be without their star point guard, who will be missed. The High School Slight That Drives Damian Lillard To This Day The most was how efficient Lillard was largely overlooked as a high schooler Slight that Drives Lillard. 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