Portland Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard sent shockwaves across the sports landscape when he stated he would not participate in perceived “meaningless” games should the 2019-20 NBA season return from its COVID-19 pandemic brought hiatus.

Among people to hit back at Lillard for his decision to sit out of competition was former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky, now an NFL commentator for ESPN. Orlovsky, 36, who spent 13 seasons playing professionally, most notably starting seven games during the Detroit Lions' winless 2008 season, called Lillard an “entitled and spoiled brat.”

Damian Lillard finally retaliated to Orlovsky's harsh words, claiming the ex-NFL signal-caller doesn't know the Blazers star's background and family.

“My background, family, and character couldn’t be further FROM entitled and spoiled,” Lillard, 29, wrote on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, in response to Orlovsky replying to a news article about his original quote on the guard.

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The Blazers figure themselves out of postseason contention—dating 3.5 games back of the Western Conference playoff picture behind the eighth-seed Memphis Grizzlies—and if the NBA returns this summer to resume the 2019-20 regular season, it could shorten the total number of regular season games to expedite the process and rush into the playoffs, with or without Lillard and the Blazers.

The Blazers were runner-ups in the Western Conference Finals this time last year, losing in sweep fashion to Stephen Curry and Lillard's hometown of Oakland's Golden State Warriors.

During the 2019-20 season, Lillard, a fifth-time All-Star, averaged 28.9 points and 7.8 assists per game (both career bests), appearing in 58 games and recording a league-high 36.9 minutes a contest.