Whenever the topic of a new team-up between two stars who've been accustomed to doing the heavy lifting comes up, reporters always make it a point to question how those two forces of personality will fit under one ecosystem. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' newest star duo, aren't immune to such questions, even if their on-court fit appears to be as seamless as it can get.

While questions of fitting in will always be a part of life as a superstar in the NBA, Lillard reassured reporters by saying that he and Antetokounmpo have already talked about not having to change themselves just to bring out the best in one another. Rather, the Bucks' star point guard wants the both of them to remain unabashedly themselves even as they try to put personal gain aside as they compete for a championship.

“I don’t want [Giannis] to not be himself. I want him to be who he is and don't worry about me. Don't worry about not allowing me to do what I got to do,” Lillard told reporters, from Bucks Twitter (X) via ClutchPoints Twitter. “I said that to him and he said the same thing to me. ‘Don’t worry about me, just do what you do. Be Dame.’”

As the old adage goes, the best leader is oftentimes the best follower. So for Damian Lillard to go out there and acknowledge that he may need to do some adjusting (without cutting into what makes him special, of course) is a sign that the Bucks' new partnership will work even better than initially hoped.

The most important thing for the Bucks is that Lillard becomes comfortable, as if Milwaukee's always been his home, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and so far, so good in that regard.

“It makes it more comfortable as well, when you got ‘the guy' saying, ‘Just do you.' […] I think, for that reason, it will come together pretty quickly,” Lillard added.

The Bucks are already a dangerous enough team as it is. But with Damian Lillard settling in without missing a single beat? The league better watch out.