Upon hearing the phrase “NBA merchandise,” fans probably think of team memorabilia like a jersey, other gear, or even a specialized ticket. But lately, the most trending commodity in the world of NBA merch is NFT, enabling fans to not just own keepsakes but actual moments from their favorite players and teams. The latest player to jump onto the NFT bandwagon and take advantage of this new type of merchandise is none other than Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard himself.

For context: an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a static digital keepsake that represents ownership over some item, either digital or physical. The value of an NFT is its unique nature: the coding for any specific NFT is very specific and is backed by blockchain security. If that sounds familiar, blockchain is the security that leads to the value of digital cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. With an NFT in tow, the owner can feel safe knowing that they own a unique piece of digital memorabilia, much in the same way as an a limited-release jersey. The NBA has already dived into the world of NFT's, focusing on highlight-based tokens called Top Shots.

Of all the athletes in the NBA, it stands to reason that Damian Lillard is one of, if not the first athlete to dive into this unique field of merchandise. Besides being a signature athlete of a major brand (Adidas), the Blazers star has a marketable nickname in Dame Time.

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Moreover, he is already diving into other creative avenues through his budding career as a rapper aside from starring for the Blazers.

Who knows what this “All-Star” NFT package will include? “All-Star” Access might mean that some top-tier tokens denote membership for a fan club, or even tickets to a meet and greet with Lillard himself. All that we know is that fans of the Blazers, Lillard, and basketball itself will be virtually lined up outside the door to snag one of these tokens. Expect them to sell out in hours, if not minutes.