Three-time All-Star Damian Lillard has been a fixture in Portland for quite a while. In fact, the Trail Blazers selected the Oakland, California native with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 Draft. Since then, he's captured the hearts of Blazers Nation. And though his name is often mentioned in trade rumors, Lillard says it would be an honor to play his entire career in The City of Roses.
“That would be an honor to be a lifetime Blazer,” Damian Lillard told Michael Scotta of The Athletic at the NBA 2K launch in New York. “Not a lot of guys get to play for one organization for their entire career. Obviously, I love playing for the Blazers. I love living in the city. I feel like I’ve established a connection with the people and the culture of the city just as much as I’ve done on the basketball court, so that’s important. But, as we know, it’s a business and a lot of times organizations have other plans, and sometimes players change their stance on that. But to be a lifetime Blazer, that would be great. I’m all on board for it.”
Lillard announced his NBA arrival in a big way. In Portland's season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 31, 2012, Lillard notched 23 points and 11 assists, joining Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson as the only players in NBA history to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in their NBA debut.
Lillard made 73 appearances with the Trail Blazers during their 2017-18 regular season campaign, racking up averages of 26.9 points on 43.9 percent shooting from the field (36.1 percent from beyond the arc), 6.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 36.6 minutes per outing.
Whether or not Lillard will indeed be a lifelong Trail Blazer remains to be seen, but it certainly sounds like he's open to the idea. Without a doubt, fans of the team would love to have him.
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