Damian Lillard

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lillard's journey began in Oakland, where he transferred through Arroyo High School, St. Joseph Notre Dame, and finally Oakland High School under coach Orlando Watkins. Regarded only as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, he chose Weber State after head coach Randy Rahe became the first to show interest, watching him play in Texas during his junior year. At Weber State, Lillard transformed from a freshman averaging 11.5 points into a dominant force. By his redshirt junior year in 2011–12, he averaged 24.5 points, scoring a career-high 41 against San Jose State on December 3, 2011, to secure a double-overtime victory. He finished as the No. 2 scorer in Weber State history with 1,934 points before skipping his senior season for the 2012 NBA draft.

In Their Own Story

On October 31, Lillard made an immediate impact in his NBA debut against the Los Angeles Lakers, recording 23 points and 11 assists to join Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson as the only rookies with at least 20 points and 10 assists in a first game. His rookie season was historic; he became the first Trail Blazer to win an All-Star Weekend event by taking home the Skills Challenge title. On January 11 against the Golden State Warriors, he set a rookie-record seven 3-pointers en route to 37 points. He capped the year as a unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year, leading all rookies in scoring (19.0 ppg) and assists (6.5 apg). In the 2014 playoffs against the Houston Rockets, Lillard delivered an iconic moment in Game 6, hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer to win the series 99–98, becoming the first player since John Stockton to make such a shot to end a playoff series.

Reader's Guide

Lillard's professional career with the Trail Blazers spanned from his selection in the 2012 draft until 2023. During this tenure, he established himself as one of the league's premier clutch performers and scorers. He set multiple franchise records, including most 3-point field goals in a season (breaking Damon Stoudamire's mark) and becoming the first rookie to lead the NBA in total minutes played since Elvin Hayes in 1968–69. His accolades include being named to the All-NBA Third Team in his second season after leading the Blazers to a 54–28 record. Beyond Portland, he won gold with the U.S. Olympic team at the 2020 Summer Olympics and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. His time in Portland concluded when he requested a trade in 2023.

Did You Know?

• Lillard became the first player in NBA history to participate in five events during All-Star weekend: Rising Stars, Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest, and the All-Star Game.
• He finished his college career as the No. 2 scorer in Weber State history with 1,934 points before completing his degree in professional sales in May 2015.
• Lillard is a nine-time NBA All-Star and was named the unanimous Rookie of the Year for the 2012–13 season, joining Blake Griffin, David Robinson, and Ralph Sampson as the only unanimous winners.
• In his first playoff series win in Game 6 against Houston in 2014, Lillard hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give Portland a 99–98 victory, ending a drought of playoff series wins since 2000.