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Damian Lillard: “I want to win as a Portland Trail Blazer.”
Joe Lyons is a sports writer and basketball expert for Basketball Insiders. Joe has a keen eye for the betting markets within the NBA and a great passion for the game of basketball. also been published by Nottingham Forest FC, working with the academy and senior teams to produce content on matchdays. He formerly covered the Premier League and EFL as an on-site reporter during the 2020/21 season for Prost International. He is an expert in a range of other sports including soccer, horse racing darts and American football. Joe specialises in long form SEO content alongside news, tips and betting.
All posts by Joe LyonsUpdated13 Oct 2022
Damian Lillard has reiterated his love and commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers, saying it wouldn’t feel as good to win a championship anywhere else.
Lillard played just 29 regular season games last year, averaging 24 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. This was considered a down year for the the 32-year-old, shooting just 40% from the field and 32% from outside the arc.
The six-time NBA All-Star was drafted by Portland in 2012 with the sixth overall pick, in a draft class headlined by ring holders Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, and Khris Middleton.
Portland could potentially open up as a popular free agent destination next summer, with a promising young core featuring Anfernee Simons supported by Jerami Grant, Jusuf Nurkic, Gary Payton II, and Josh Hart.
“I want to win as a Trail Blazer,” Lillard told The Ringer. “I want to win a championship where I am. I don’t think I would feel the same joy and happiness if I did it elsewhere. I would be happy, no doubt. Like winning a chip, you get that experience. But I know how I want it.”
Damian Lillard is a dying breed amongst NBA Stars. Loyalty is still a priority for Lillard. pic.twitter.com/rYXPD5t1EM
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 19, 2019
Lillard is +4000 win the MVP award for the first time in NBA betting and has had some strong finishes in voting for the award across previous years; 6th (2020-21), 8th (2019-20), 6th (2018-19), 4th (2017-18), 8th (2015-16).
The guard’s message is simple: loyalty over everything. However in what appears to be a strong Western Conference, the Blazers will have to bring their A-game to each of their 82 regular season games if Lillard stands a chance at the honor.
