And that was just so impressive to me.. As a junior, he finished second in the country in points per game. They started firing on him at halfcourt.. amian Lillard has taken the NBA by storm as one of the biggest deep threats the league For the Wildcats, Lillard averaged 22.4 points per game, 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists during his senior season. He was the stubborn little guy who showed up before the doors of the neighborhood recreation center were unlocked, wearing yesterdays shorts and bouncing the basketball his Pops had ordered from a magazine. And then we come out in the second half, and in the third quarter, he just made every right play. He made every right play, Billups said. He was never highly regarded as a youth, and as a sophomore in high school he was benched. And Lillard sat out when Portland won this season's first meeting, 106-95 on Nov. 10 in New Orleans. Despite Lillards quick start, the Blazers led only 32-31 after the first quarter. And I wanted to be respected beyond the fact that I am Damian Lillard. But as 11th-seeded Bullard, which traveled three hours from Fresno for this game, advances to the NorCal final while No. Lillard has enjoyed a solid career, averaging 25 points per game and an exceptional 90% from the charity stripe, everything you look for in a franchise player. Thats where his heart comes from hes fearless, says Houston Lillard, Jr., 26. A piece of art.. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Money yes, thats his given name, and yes, theres a story may be the best player to pass through Oakland High since Damian Lillard. It comes as no surprise that Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is one of the all-time best NBA players. To Lillard, his art is his journey. The Blazers play at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Golden State. And when they trapped him, he made the right passes. Lillard thrived at Weber under coach Randy Rahe. The dunk was so powerful, so quick and so aggressive that maybe Lillard shouldnt have been so shocked about what was waiting for him after the game. Theres also a stage that can host school Christmas pageants. The Brookfield Rec offers two meeting rooms large enough for quinceaeras. Damian Lillard gives back to his Oakland, California, high school in a really big way. To study it, to know it, to buy it. I aint a punk, Lillard responds without missing a beat when asked how his hometown defines him. Through the 1990s, Gamble worked at the Ira Jinkins Recreation Center commonly referred to by the name of its neighborhood. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). And Lillard threw a long lob pass to Shaedon Sharpe for a dunk. I think Weber did a great job recruiting him and making him feel at home.. After his solid junior year, Lilllard would declare for the NBA Draft, and the Portland Trail Blazers would take him No. He wants to get there.. The slashing 6-3 guards breakout junior season helped the Wildcats reach new heights not even achieved with Lillard 27 wins, their most in 17 seasons under Watkins but wasnt quite enough to vanquish the programs long-lasting demon: the NorCal regional semis. Among players who have attempted at least 2,000 three-point shots in their careers, that is the worst percentage. And just around the corner was the gym. They were right. So, Lillard backed off from scoring. Wednesday's contest will mark the first time that Lillard and CJ McCollum will be on the floor as opponents. I think theres a lot of power in my story, just my entire life, Lillard said. LEGENDARY. The Trail Blazers had a lot of problems in the second half while losing for the sixth time in nine games. OAKLAND In his first action after being eliminated, coach Orlando Watkins walked to midcourt, outstretched his arm, and picked his star player up from the hardwood. Anthony hit a buzzer-beater from halfcourt to give him 37 first-half points en route to a franchise high 62 points for the Knicks. All rights reserved. home/away, monthly, etc More Damian Lillard Basketball Reference pages, 2022-23 Trail Blazers Ive been blessed to coach a lot of great ones. We gotta go out there and back against the wall every night.. Hes three-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, two-time NCAA champion at Davidson and the 2017 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Damian Lillard was drafted by Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 2012 NBA Draft. But once again, one point short.. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Ive seen it all.. His senior year saw him put up 22.4 points per game, and he was named First Team All-League. All Rights Reserved. Inside the mind of Damian Lillard: Im not going to go away quietly. He has averaged 20.5 points per game in his career, but he has never averaged more than 23 points per game. Damian Lillard High School Pos PG Height 6-1 Weight 185 Timeline Prospect Info High School Oakland City Oakland, CA Class 2008 Watch Highlights One of the reasons he left here, he wasnt playing that much, but that made him want to get in the gym and get better.. His injury is a blow to the Trail Blazers, who are desperate for a win in order to qualify for the playoffs. Writers Note: This article was written as recently as the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday night home game against the Houston Rockets. Since Lillard has been around, Portland has been as far as the Western Conference Championship once, where they were swept by Steph Curry and the Warriors. Lillard, who is also known by his rap name Dame Dolla and recently released an album called The Letter O, spearheaded the transformation of the closet of a music room he once used to a greatly enlarged space with new computers, a drum set, turntables, production equipment and soundproof recording studio. It was July 15, 2011Lillards 21st birthdayand rather than going out and celebrating, Lillard was working out at the high school gym. "I was able to find opportunities in the first half," Lillard said afterward. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I was in a bad spot. All five of his points after intermission were earned at the stripe. We have to be unbreakable, Lillard said. Damian Lillard on Twitter: "Shoutout to McDaniel High School's RESPECT Student of The Month, Mekai Anderson. While these arent the most eye-popping stats, Lillard was a three-star recruit out of high school and caught the attention of Weber State, where he excelled. He played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats and earned third-team All-American honors in 2012. Saturdays results, Tuesdays championship schedule, Campo elevates its play, routs Riordan to reach Open boys final, Mitty girls too much for Clovis West in Open semis, Naya Epps heats up, leads No. Right, Born: Because of his skill set, he is one of the best players in the league. Even when Im on the 580 freeway in the summer and drive past here, I always drive and look over, Lillard said. I was playing to keep the lead instead of playing to score a bunch of points.. He just wasnt forcing at all, Billups said. Watkins offered to take him What High School Did Damien Williams Go To, What Classes Should I Take In High School For Aviation, Navigating The Risks Of Adolescence: Exploring The California State University Extended Risk And Wellness Course, Take Your Education To The Next Level: Exploring High School PG Classes, Promoting The Benefits Of High School Business Classes For Student Success, When Is The Best Time To Choose High School Classes? Damian Lillard is on Twitter at Dame_Lillard. Try a week on us. "We knew they were going to make runs throughout the game," Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said afterward of the Warriors. One, it was his first game back after the break because Billups held him out of Thursdays game at Sacramento as a precaution after the team had a stressful, weather-plagued trip. So when I walked in the locker room, I was like, I dont even want to hold this paper up; I already know people are expecting it. And that takes some incredible discipline to know, alright, Im not gonna force it. He will become the first person to make more than $60 million in one year as a result of his two-year extension, which will run through July 2022. Lillard found a home at Oakland High, where he led the league in scoring his junior season. Another pass led to a Thybulle 3-pointer. Bolted doors and insults are nothing to a boy from Brookfield Village. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? According to the team, Lillard is eager to resume his career, but there is no timetable for his return. The Pelicans didn't take advantage of the one home game, as they lost 101-93 to the Orlando Magic on Monday night. Little did Billups realize, he would be even more impressed in the opening minutes of the second half. The 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year has blossomed into the face of the Portlands franchise and an NBA star. I was just having a hard time, Lillard said. Lillard finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history with 1,934 career points, fifth in Big Sky Conference history. McCollum scored just 13 points after averaging 24 in his previous two appearances against the Trail Blazers. Dame, Dame Time, Big Game Dame, Sub Zero, Logo Lillard, Dame D.O.L.L.A. Damian Lillard attended Oakland in Oakland, California and Weber State. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Portland needs Lillard to have more explosive nights like Sunday, and if he does, this Blazer team can certainly win on any given night. 4 Archbishop Riordan gets revenge on No. All rights reserved (About Us). Lillard was unfamiliar with the death of Williams and became surprised and solemn once he heard the news. And I turned to him and said, Thats because they are expecting a run like, they are expecting something. And that was our interaction then we walked to half court.. Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 2012 NBA Draft, More Damian Lillard pages at Sports Reference. He used to be able to dunk on you, but he hasnt been able to in years and his knees still hurt. He says he doesnt like situations where he is the center of attention, because hes unsure of how to handle the adulation. He acted as a decoy on Bullards final possession, allowing Herod to drop free in the paint and score the game-winning bucket with about 7 seconds left. But Lejuan Watts answered with what he had done all night for Bullard and bullied his way to the basket, crossing over behind his back and taking his defender off the dribble for his final of 15 points, cutting Oaklands lead to 59-58. But he became eligible after he earned a professional sales degree from the College of Applied Science and Technology in May 2015. That was a thing that was important to the basketball program here, Lillard said. It really, really was a masterful performance, Billups said. For his sophomore year, Lillard transferred to St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda, California, the same private school that had produced former NBA point guard Jason Kidd; but by years end, a lack of playing time prompted Lillard to transfer schools yet again. He is a true success story and an inspiration to many. at Web75.7K subscribers Check out former Oakland High School guard, Damian Lillard doing his thing back in his high school days Dame is currently leading the nation in scoring at Despite a recent injury that limited him for much of last season, Portlands star guard appears to be in good shape heading into this season. The Oakland native was throwing up monster shots from the logo back then too. He played in 103 games, starting 98 of them. Lillard exploded from the get-go, scoring 16 in the first and a total of 41 for the half, which included an unreal 36 fast break three that was almost from halfcourt to close out his first half. We present them here for purely educational purposes. TaKwain is a pleasure to have in class and a leader in the school community. Truth be told, Lillard is uncomfortable with more than just needles. A teammate launched an errant 3-point shot, ending Oaklands season in a 60-59 loss, eliminated a game away from the NorCal final for the third time under Watkins. Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. After taking a 36-31 lead into halftime, Oaklands offense went silent to open the second half. Thats what he carries from Oakland in his game to the NBA now.. Thats the East Oakland neighborhood that time and urban development have forgotten. Despite his numerous accomplishments, he has yet to win the scoring title in what has been a fantastic season. He wasnt forcing at all.. 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