Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard may be sidelined due to an Achilles injury, but he has made sure to remain productive, especially when it comes to making an impact in the community.
In February, he launched the Damian Lillard Scholars Program to help high school students in the Bay Area get into Portland State University. Lillard grew up in Oakland and has always given back to his hometown.
It was only appropriate that the first recipient of Lillard's charity, Kayla Sisavat, is from Oakland as well, according to a report from KPTV's Anna Katayama. Sisavat will receive $25,000 annually for her four-year college education.
The 35-year-old Lillard, who grew up in a rough neighborhood, acknowledged the mark he can leave on society, drawing from his own experience.
“Earning a scholarship to attend college out of state was a life-changing experience for me. I’m honored to be able to help deserving students from my hometown have similar experiences,” wrote the nine-time All-Star on X.
Lillard wasn't highly recruited out of high school. He earned a scholarship at Weber State, where he blossomed into a star. He eventually grabbed the attention of the NBA and was drafted by the Trail Blazers as the sixth overall pick in 2012.
While he left college early, he returned to Weber State for several summers to take up classes. In 2015, he completed his bachelor's degree in professional sales and even joined the commencement exercises.
Lillard's return to Rip City in the offseason was warmly welcomed by fans. He will forever be a legend in Portland—even more so with his continued philanthropy. Truly, Dame Time is undefeated.
