Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook's on-court rivalry is well-documented, with the two former Western Conference foes duking it out in the regular season and playoffs several times. But the feud, according to Lillard, started to gnaw at Westbrook's then-Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Kevin Durant.

While much of the focus when the Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers played was on the back-and-forth between Westbrook and Lillard, including the famous ‘rock the baby' gesture they each did to taunt the other, the former Trail Blazers cornerstone said Westbrook would get so into the rivalry that he began to annoy Durant, a former league MVP who left Oklahoma City for the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

“He was the bully,” Lillard said of Westbrook on Jeff Teague's ‘Club 520' podcast. “It didn't matter if it was like a big matchup, if somebody was hurt and he was playing against the backup — he didn't care. He tried to do it to everybody.

“He would be shooting on me so much that KD would be getting mad, like, ‘Pass the ball.' He's shooting every time, and that's when it became personal, so I was being more aggressive back at him, and that's when it turned into talking. ‘I've been busting your a** for years!' And I'd be like, ‘Yeah, well it's a new time.' I came to the arena knowing it's on tonight. Something happening.”

What Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard have said about each other

Former Oklahoma City Thunder and current Denver Nuggets player Russell Westbrook and former Portland Trail Blazers and current Milwaukee Bucks player Damian Lillard
Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

The Russell Westbrook vs. Damian Lillard rivalry was intense on the court, and the ‘rock the baby' taunt, like in Westbrook's feud with Patrick Beverley, always caught the attention of fans, media, and the players themselves.

Lillard talked about the gesture in 2019 after eliminating Westbrook, Paul George, and the Oklahoma City Thunder with an iconic long-range buzzer-beating shot.

Article Continues Below
More Trail Blazers News
image thumbnail
3 players Portland Trail Blazers must avoid in 2025 NBA DraftCameron Zunkel ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket during the second half against Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) at Moda Center.
NBA rumors: Lakers insider drops eye-opening Blazers intel on potential trade candidateJulian Ojeda ·
Michael Porter Jr. photoshopped in Trail Blazers jersey (number 1)
Trail Blazers trade proposal for Michael Porter Jr. after postseason strugglesBailey Bassett ·
Austin Reaves (number 15) photoshopped in Trail Blazers jersey
Trail Blazers trade proposal for Austin Reaves lands Lakers a centerBailey Bassett ·
Malik Beasley playing basketball. Pistons logo in background.
Ranking 4 best Malik Beasley free-agency destinations if he leaves PistonsBailey Bassett ·
The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
Ranking 3 best Fred VanVleet free-agency destinations if he leaves RocketsBailey Bassett ·

“He was doing that on jump shots,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “That’s not when you’re supposed to rock the baby. You rock the baby after overpowering someone in the post. He had one layup in the post on me. Look it up. I’ll live with his jump shots. He wasn’t rocking no baby on me.”

Despite their on-court battles, off the court, Lillard has often shown respect and admiration for Westbrook. Lillard posted a photo on Instagram of himself and Westbrook hugging in January 2020, after a Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets game, during which he and Westbrook received technicals for trash talk.

“They confuse competing with hate when it’s ruthless vs ruthless,” Lillard wrote.

Lillard has also defended Westbrook in recent years as the former NBA MVP has received immense criticism for his play style, particularly when he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Lillard, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks last offseason, said that Westbrook was an “easy target” for criticism despite his legacy being “undeniable.”

“I do think (it has gone) to the extreme,” Lillard told Shannon Sharpe in 2022. “It’s almost like people just see something that they think everybody’s gonna agree with it if they just talk s**t about Russell Westbrook. So everybody’s just throwing their stuff at him. It’s going overboard at this point, in my opinion. It’s just crazy to me.”

Westbrook, who signed with the Denver Nuggets this summer, is set to make his debut with the team on Oct. 24 vs. his first team, the Thunder. The Nuggets and Bucks will only play twice in the regular season, first on Feb. 27 in Milwaukee and then on March 26 back in Denver.