Damian Lillard took some time to speak with the @journalsentinel, reflecting on his time with the Bucks and beyond.
Here is a majority of the Q&A below: 🧵
Here is a majority of the Q&A below: 🧵
On injuries playing a role over the past two seasons, and if his time as Buck felt incomplete because of it:
"I think it’s just basketball. It don’t feel incomplete to me. I just feel, just basketball. I think you gotta be a little bit lucky to win big. You gotta be healthy and you gotta be playing your best at the right time and I think we just had bad luck."
"I think it’s just basketball. It don’t feel incomplete to me. I just feel, just basketball. I think you gotta be a little bit lucky to win big. You gotta be healthy and you gotta be playing your best at the right time and I think we just had bad luck."
On injuries (continued) and a reflection of coming up short in the playoffs:
"My first year (2023-24) people complained a lot, the Bucks this, the Bucks that, but we was the two seed pretty much the whole season until the very last game and end up being the three seed. Then we played without Giannis the whole first round. He didn’t play in the first round. I missed two games in the first round... Then this year, I missed Game 1, played Game 2 and Game 3, and get hurt at the start of Game 4. So, I mean, the healthy part we just didn’t have."
"My first year (2023-24) people complained a lot, the Bucks this, the Bucks that, but we was the two seed pretty much the whole season until the very last game and end up being the three seed. Then we played without Giannis the whole first round. He didn’t play in the first round. I missed two games in the first round... Then this year, I missed Game 1, played Game 2 and Game 3, and get hurt at the start of Game 4. So, I mean, the healthy part we just didn’t have."
On the perception of his game from others:
"I think it’s kind of unfair how people was like Dame (isn’t the same) because of the way I played in Portland. I had the ball all the time, so it just looked different. But I think for how productive I actually was I think it’s been viewed unfairly. Because how many other people have averaged 25 a game with seven assists as the No. 1 option, let alone playing with somebody like Giannis? But I wouldn’t say it was incomplete. I thought we just couldn’t stay healthy. I think that’s the biggest hurdle. That was our biggest hurdle and each year that was the case.”
"I think it’s kind of unfair how people was like Dame (isn’t the same) because of the way I played in Portland. I had the ball all the time, so it just looked different. But I think for how productive I actually was I think it’s been viewed unfairly. Because how many other people have averaged 25 a game with seven assists as the No. 1 option, let alone playing with somebody like Giannis? But I wouldn’t say it was incomplete. I thought we just couldn’t stay healthy. I think that’s the biggest hurdle. That was our biggest hurdle and each year that was the case.”
On winning the NBA Cup, despite it not being the end goal he was seeking:
"I mean, obviously I’m not looking at it like a championship, like a Larry O’Brien, but it’s something that everybody wanted. People competed for it. People competed for it and people cared about it. It was high stakes. It was elimination and big games and we played against the team in the championship that won it all (in Oklahoma City) and we beat ‘em. So, like I said, I wouldn’t say it’s a championship or nothing like that but we won something when something was on the line and I think that showed that, when healthy, we were capable of doing anything. We just weren’t able to stay healthy."
"I mean, obviously I’m not looking at it like a championship, like a Larry O’Brien, but it’s something that everybody wanted. People competed for it. People competed for it and people cared about it. It was high stakes. It was elimination and big games and we played against the team in the championship that won it all (in Oklahoma City) and we beat ‘em. So, like I said, I wouldn’t say it’s a championship or nothing like that but we won something when something was on the line and I think that showed that, when healthy, we were capable of doing anything. We just weren’t able to stay healthy."
On his big moments as a Buck, and which stand out:
"The very first game was a big moment, the first game of the season vs. Philly, my first official game there, I had a big game. So that was a memory. Being a starter in the all-star game is a memory. The game-winner against 'Sac,' the fans was waiting for me to get a buzzer beater. So having that experience. There was a couple games where I got hot – Game 1 of the playoffs in ’24 where I had 35 points at halftime in my first playoff game in Milwaukee. Just all of those moments like that, the rally when I first got traded there, all of those are special moments."
"The very first game was a big moment, the first game of the season vs. Philly, my first official game there, I had a big game. So that was a memory. Being a starter in the all-star game is a memory. The game-winner against 'Sac,' the fans was waiting for me to get a buzzer beater. So having that experience. There was a couple games where I got hot – Game 1 of the playoffs in ’24 where I had 35 points at halftime in my first playoff game in Milwaukee. Just all of those moments like that, the rally when I first got traded there, all of those are special moments."
On playing with Giannis:
"I thought it was a great experience, man. It was a great experience. I think more than anything just the luxury of playing with a player as great as him. And having those nights where I can show up and he’s gonna carry a lot of the load and he might be feeling it that night and we can win a game with me scoring 12 points. So just the luxury of having him on your team was a special thing. And also going into games and knowing like, no matter what happens I’m playing with a dude where we can combine and beat anybody. As a tandem, we can go out here and we can actually; how people say 'man, one person can’t beat a team,' like, 'he ain’t gonna beat you by himself,' or you might be able to beat a team on a back-to-back at home or have a big game and they just can’t stop you, I’ve done that plenty of times."
"I thought it was a great experience, man. It was a great experience. I think more than anything just the luxury of playing with a player as great as him. And having those nights where I can show up and he’s gonna carry a lot of the load and he might be feeling it that night and we can win a game with me scoring 12 points. So just the luxury of having him on your team was a special thing. And also going into games and knowing like, no matter what happens I’m playing with a dude where we can combine and beat anybody. As a tandem, we can go out here and we can actually; how people say 'man, one person can’t beat a team,' like, 'he ain’t gonna beat you by himself,' or you might be able to beat a team on a back-to-back at home or have a big game and they just can’t stop you, I’ve done that plenty of times."
On his dynamic with Giannis (continued):
"But as a tandem with him, I felt like we can go and win it all with the two of us. We can just go on a run and just dominate. I’m not sure I’ll ever have that experience again. But it was great playing with him. It was truly a pleasure and a luxury to play with a guy that dominant and also a guy who cares that much. I think that was something I really appreciated. I’m a guy who cares, even when I’m mad, even when I’m not doing well, I care about the team doing well and I put everything I can into that – how I take care of my body, how I train and prepare. I do everything I can to position myself and the team to do well and he’s a guy that does all of those things with the same edge and worry. That was something I really appreciated, too."
"But as a tandem with him, I felt like we can go and win it all with the two of us. We can just go on a run and just dominate. I’m not sure I’ll ever have that experience again. But it was great playing with him. It was truly a pleasure and a luxury to play with a guy that dominant and also a guy who cares that much. I think that was something I really appreciated. I’m a guy who cares, even when I’m mad, even when I’m not doing well, I care about the team doing well and I put everything I can into that – how I take care of my body, how I train and prepare. I do everything I can to position myself and the team to do well and he’s a guy that does all of those things with the same edge and worry. That was something I really appreciated, too."
On grading his own performance during his two years in Milwaukee:
"I think when people look back it, people will respect my time there. At the end of the day – before I got there, who was at point guard producing the way I produced? I mean, there was nobody. And they won it before I got there, but as far as me personally, I thought I showed up regardless of what my circumstances might have been personally or whatever the case may be. I showed up, I did what I had to do. I adjusted. I showed up. I never shied away from anything. The production was there, we just couldn’t stay healthy. I think when people actually look back at it and if people want to look at it say it was like a dip or a down two years of performance for me, eventually they’ll have to look at it and say well, if that’s a down level of performance then what are we really saying about this dude, you know?"
"I think when people look back it, people will respect my time there. At the end of the day – before I got there, who was at point guard producing the way I produced? I mean, there was nobody. And they won it before I got there, but as far as me personally, I thought I showed up regardless of what my circumstances might have been personally or whatever the case may be. I showed up, I did what I had to do. I adjusted. I showed up. I never shied away from anything. The production was there, we just couldn’t stay healthy. I think when people actually look back at it and if people want to look at it say it was like a dip or a down two years of performance for me, eventually they’ll have to look at it and say well, if that’s a down level of performance then what are we really saying about this dude, you know?"
Lillard, unprompted, in which he recognized some people around the Bucks organization:
“I would give a lot of love to (Bucks and Fiserv Forum president) Peter Feigin, (assistant coach) Vin Baker, 'Ejay' (global scout Ijeoma Ofomata) up there in the front office, (head coach Doc Rivers’ assistant) Annemarie (Loflin) was really helpful and good when she came with Doc. And not like they just did a better job than anybody else but just personally, especially Peter and ‘Ejay' and Vin on a personal level, the support and just having them there. It made it a much more smooth transition and much help for me to be able to do what I needed to do while going through all the things I was going through in my time in Milwaukee. Just a lot of love for them.”
“I would give a lot of love to (Bucks and Fiserv Forum president) Peter Feigin, (assistant coach) Vin Baker, 'Ejay' (global scout Ijeoma Ofomata) up there in the front office, (head coach Doc Rivers’ assistant) Annemarie (Loflin) was really helpful and good when she came with Doc. And not like they just did a better job than anybody else but just personally, especially Peter and ‘Ejay' and Vin on a personal level, the support and just having them there. It made it a much more smooth transition and much help for me to be able to do what I needed to do while going through all the things I was going through in my time in Milwaukee. Just a lot of love for them.”
We love you Dame. Always have, always will.💚
Best of luck in your return to Portland, and thank you for everything you gave to Milwaukee on and off the court.
Best of luck in your return to Portland, and thank you for everything you gave to Milwaukee on and off the court.
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