When Damian Lillard was drafted with the No. 6 overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 draft, he became an immediate fixture in the team's rotation and was quickly handed the keys to the franchise. It wasn't like he was expected to do it alone, however. He had co-star LaMarcus Aldridge alongside him. There were players in place to help Lillard ease is way into the NBA. Lillard recently appeared on an episode of former NBA player JJ Redick's The Old Man and the Three podcast where he bemoaned the lack of veterans on NBA rosters in today's league and the overwhelming sense of entitlement he believes many young players have as a result.
“I played with real vets, and it was a lot of stuff I learned, like being a point guard or how to lead from Mo Williams and Earl Watson and Jared Jeffries. And they didn't even play, it was just the way they showed me how stuff had be done. I had no choice but to respect the game. I didn't have – the word I was looking for is entitlement. Like when I came into the league, you had to earn not just what you get from the team or the respect – you had to earn your space on the team,” Lillard since.
With the type of career Damian Lillard has had, it's safe to say those veteran players had a strong impact on him. Lillard holds career averages of 25.2 points per game, 4.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists and shooting splits of 43.9 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from the three-point line and 89.5 percent from the free-throw line. Lillard is a seven-time All-Star and has made clear multiple times his desire to remain with the Blazers and not seek a trade.
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