When the season ended, the basketball coach there, Don Lippe, he basically told me, I dont know if youre going to be on this team. He broke down all these numbers saying, This many high school basketball players go to college, this many get a scholarship, this many play pro, this many make it to the NBA It got down to this really small number and he was like, This is how hard it is. I told him, I know, and he smirked at me and chuckled. He just wasnt forcing at all, Billups said. 1 jersey until he graduated from Weber State. Or write about sports? Find out more. Almost casual, like he made it look easy.. He was named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year twice and led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament in each of his four years. 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. Williams was reportedly an innocent bystander trapped in a fight between two men. Yeah, we had that in high school, Watkins told Dennis Scott. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. No. I stayed there for like two more days and I begged my dad to leave. So, I live for the moments when Im taking over and dominating games, but I dont live for the stuff that comes afterwards, Lillard said. His second shot didnt come until 7:22. That takes some incredible discipline, Billups said. There, he got more playing time and, in turn, averaged 20 points per game his junior year and 28 his senior year. To the more than 19,000 in attendance, it was so moving and so unmistakable that something special was happening that a palpable tension started building in the first quarter. Rap stars Fetty Wap, DJ Esco and Lil Uzi Vert also performed on a makeshift stage before Lillards arrival for the students, who knew all the latest dances and hip-hop slang. From then on, I was like, What do I need to do? . He still has some things to learn and work on but hes a kid that steps up to the challenge. "I don't think I've been on a team where we've missed this many games from our starters.". Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. What does According to 247Sports, Lillard was only a three-star recruit out of high school in Oakland, California. Stephen Curry's career high is 62, short of Lillard,'s 71, and his 11 50-point games also trail Lillard's total, as do Its inspiring. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Damian Lillard was largely overlooked as a high schooler. I was thinking, What if I was a student right now and someone from before me was up here doing this? I would be so amazed by it. Theres a lot of pain, lot of work and everybody feels a different way about what is happening and what they see .. and I would say that is art. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. It comes as no surprise that Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is one of the all-time best NBA players. As a junior at Oakland, he averaged 19.4 points per game. Yes, Damian Lillard started in high school. The best thing about Stephen Currys net worth is that it is largely due to his success as a professional basketball player. But he had just six in the second half while hounded by multiple defenders and the Trail Blazers were outscored 75-40. Lillard was just 2 of 7 from behind the arc after hitting 13 treys against Houston to tie for the second most in NBA history. We didn't do a good job of keeping our poise. Ever. He has it: Behind brilliance of Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers still alive, They know what I do: Damian Lillard wont be deterred by failure or detractors. Current Team: Portland Trail Blazers. He played in 103 games, starting 98 of them. TaKwain has earned a 3.95 GPA while playing point guard on McDaniels hoops team. Damian Lillard during his senior season at Oakland High School, when he averaged 22.9 points per game when the Wildcats went 23-9, losing in the NorCal semifinals to De La Salle. "@Dennis3DScott sat down with Dame's high school coach to discuss his rise to the top. With the playoffs heating up, the Blazers will be without their star point guard, who will be missed. Lillard, a long-range sharpshooter in the mold of Steph Curry, was already shooting at a high clip from beyond the arc in high school. You have the potential to play big-time college basketball, but you cant even play for me. He is shooting 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range this season, scoring a total of 27 points on the season. The two close friends represented the starting backcourt in Portland for 6 1/2 seasons before McCollum was traded to the Pelicans 12-plus months ago. Portland (29-31) moved into 11th place in the West, one-half game behind New Orleans and Minnesota for the final two play-in berths, and three games behind Phoenix for the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Aaron Fentress | The Oregonian/OregonLive, third all time behind Kobe Bryant (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (32), Lillards 71 points is only the 13th game in NBA history. Its a little different for us coming out of there, says native and retired NBA great Gary Payton. The timing for Lillards speech was intentional. That doesnt mean its always going to go right, or its always going to be fun, but whatever happens we have to keep marching forward. Young first met Lillard in eighth grade and sized him up the only way he knew how brutally honest . Because of his skill set, he is one of the best players in the league. Lillard scored 16 in the first quarter, 25 in the second quarter, nine in the third quarter and 21 in the fourth. The superstar point guard would have a real path to championship contention Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Lillard didnt do much in his first two seasons, so he transferred to Oakland High. In addition, with one win, he is one win away from becoming the first player in league history to qualify for the playoffs in each of his six seasons. Sunday was the Blazers first home game since the All-Star break, so the team planned to honor Lillard before the national anthem for winning the 3-point shooting contest at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City. Learn more and register. Theres a million words for it, lots of ways to describe it, and a lot of things that go into it. That places him third all time behind Kobe Bryant (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (32). 1990 From Damon Stoudamire to Damian Lillard, he has covered the team for over two decades. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Wednesday's contest will mark the first time that Lillard and CJ McCollum will be on the floor as opponents. The teams traded leads eight times and neither led by more than six points. The Portland star will look to resume his scoring prowess when the Trail Blazers host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. Damian Lillards high school has another star,, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Chart: Bay Area rainfall totals for this week, Damian Lillards high school has another star, but it still cant get over the hump, CIF NorCal basketball regionals 2023: Quarterfinal schedules, No. Lillard was heading into his junior high school year when his Rebels bombed at their last summer tournament. #1. (But) I knew right from wrong because of my foundation. I was at St. [Josephs Notre Dame High School] my sophomore year and at the end of the first marking period I was ineligible for a little bit. save for a section behind Lillard full of school-age children from a local church I think that Dame played for an AAU with a bunch of other guards, and he was their main scorer. Lillard finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history with 1,934 career points, fifth in Big Sky Conference history. Lillard thrived at Weber under coach Randy Rahe. Oakland streets are no joke. In Tuesdays 118 101 loss to the Jazz, Damian Lillard led all players with 21 points (6-10 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 6-6 FT). He wasnt forcing at all.. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. There were a lot of memories over there. After hosting a rap concert with a HOME OF DAMIAN LILLARD sign in the background at his Oakland High School gym, the Portland Trail Blazers star took a moment to reflect while inspired students listened intently. Lillard and Adidas donated money to help refurbish Oakland Highs gym, add a new scoreboard and build a desperately needed weight room that led to the disposal of aged steel weights. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Of course, the place lacked proper instructional tools, so Young pulled out bricks from the ground, covered with insects and dirt, and made the boys hold one in each extended hand while stooped low in a defensive stance. M. He didnt know much about the University of Kentucky as a child because they were the outsiders and he wanted to help them win. His brother Houston, a Indoor Football League quarterback, is the brother of LaNae, his sister. LEGENDARY. And it has made him who he is today. Lillard finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history with 1,934 career points, fifth in Big Sky Conference history. So, they missed out. When he was a member of the basketball team at Weber State University, he was the schools second-highest scorer. When it was all said and done, the Portland star had 71 points, tied with Donovan Mitchell for the most in the league this season, and his 13 made 3-pointers that night were one short of the NBA record that Golden States Klay Thompson set. (29-32, 11th place in NBA Western Conference). He thought he had finally made it but his longtime Oakland Rebels AAU coach Raymond Young didnt share the same sense of satisfaction. Damian Lillard High School Pos PG Height 6-1 Weight 185 Timeline Prospect Info High School Oakland City Oakland, CA Class 2008 Watch Highlights The 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year has blossomed into the face of the Portlands franchise and an NBA star. Oakland High had a gift for Lillard, too, as the school retired his old jersey. The All-Star guard signed a $120 million extension with the Mavericks in the off-season. I was like, are you serious? Lillard said. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Really? 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. When he got antsy, he practiced dribbling with his left hand, or shot alone on the side rims. Because of the history of me, and what I do, thats the beauty of art like this.. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The celebration surrounding Damian Lillard s record-breaking performance was short-lived. A player must average 20 points per game to win a scoring title. Point Guard As Money Jr. tells it, his grandmothers brother struck it rich, and she went on to bequeath one of her children with the name. I wasnt like, Im gonna get 70 tonight, Lillard said. I know a lot of kids walked out of it like, Thats crazy.. Lillard scored a career-high 71 points to lead the Blazers to an 131-114 victory at the Moda Center. The Trail Blazers vs. the Rockets wasnt a game many had marked on their calendar, as Houston is all but eliminated with a 13-47 record thus far while Portland has flirted with a .500 record all season. Damian Lillard has made it very clear that he is loyal to the Portland Trail Blazers. Still, its a bit strange to hear Lillard describe his hometown as cool, when you consider that the body bag count makes it one of the most dangerous cities in America. He has averaged 20.5 points per game in his career, but he has never averaged more than 23 points per game. He is shooting 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range for a 27.5% scoring average. Its just unbelievable, Gamble says. Now that the NBA All-Star Game has passed, we look forward to an exciting second half of NBA action to decide which teams will make a playoff appearance. With 15 points and 13 rebounds, Watts secured his second straight double-double, after collecting 18 and 12 in a quarterfinal win. MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 18. WebDamian Lillard Position: Guard 6-2 , 185lb (188cm, 83kg) Hometown: Oakland, CA School: Weber State (Men) Draft: Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 2012 It was crazy because it took me back, Lillard told The Undefeated after the event Friday. TaKwain is a pleasure to have in class and a leader in the school community. The absence of Damian Lillard, one of the most dynamic and explosive players in the league, will have a significant impact on the team. One day after reminding his teammates of the need to raise the bar for the stretch run, Lillard stormed out of the gate with 16 first-quarter points, which included 3 of 5 from 3. Stephen Curry's career high is 62, short of Lillard,'s 71, and his 11 50-point games also trail Lillard's total, as do Kevin Durant's nine. Most of his family still lives there, and the large clan will occupy entire rows inside Oracle Arena tonight when the Blazers play the Golden State Warriors. (The back of his jersey, if it had a name, would say, Williams Jr.). ), Position: More recently, Lillard has gone back to his roots, raising money to improve his alma maters gym, music facilities and a new weight room. 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. TaKwain has earned a 3.95 GPA while playing point guard on Dame_Lillard The only reason that Damian Lillard has never won a scoring title is that he has yet to make a three-point shot. And Lillard sat out when Portland won this season's first meeting, 106-95 on Nov. 10 in New Orleans. They completely sold out (in the second half) so I was just making the right plays and passing the ball.". During his amateur career, he was the second leading scorer in the history of the Wildcats. He won three NBA All-Star titles and two All-NBA Teams during his NBA career. Like, I love telling my draft story and my last two years at Weber and everything Ive been through because it was real. Lillard also recalled a shooting that took place during his game at a rival high school. He wants to get there.. Right, Born: When the Blazers team bus pulls into Oracle this afternoon, Lillard will have already repeated countless times that its no big deal. (Basketball) is art to me because there are so many things that go on within a team, within a game, within a season, Lillard said. On Saturday afternoon, following practice and after he had planted the seed of urgency into his teammates, Lillard spoke to the media while drinking a bottle of water. 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.. He worked into the Arroyo High varsity starting lineup as a 5-foot-5 freshman, but once it became clear his coach would not return, Lillard searched for a new school. Thats the East Oakland neighborhood that time and urban development have forgotten. Damian Lillard, the son of Gina and Houston Lillard, was born on July 15, 1990, in Oakland, California. The final four of Williams game-high 17 points Saturday night came inside the final 2 minutes, but with 7 seconds left, after Tyric Herods heroics on the other end had given Bullard-Fresno a one-point lead, Williams didnt get the ball on the final possession. I aint a punk, Lillard responds without missing a beat when asked how his hometown defines him. Little did Billups realize, he would be even more impressed in the opening minutes of the second half. 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. The central air didnt work; sometimes neither did the lights. Money yes, thats his given name, and yes, theres a story may be the best player to pass through Oakland High since Damian Lillard. They have been to the playoffs eight times, an excellent mark for Blazer fans. Do you have a sports website? To Billups, it was the efficiency and the unselfishness. And then we come out in the second half, and in the third quarter, he just made every right play. Education is the key to getting where a lot of them need to get to. Also, the Rockets (13-47) have the NBAs worst record, and Lillard wanted to make sure the Blazers heads were in the right space. 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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Big dude is a load, Watkins said. So, Lillard backed off from scoring. 2 Oakland heads home, Watkins and his star player were both left unsatisfied. 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. Moneys one of the good ones, Watkins said. However, the 19,215 fans that attended the game were in for a treat, as generational talent Lillard had himself a career game. 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. There were students with weapons at the football game, too.. He played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats and earned third-team All-American honors in 2012. Damian Lillard averaged 19.4 points as a junior. Lillard wears a tattoo of a psalms scripture on his left arm in honor of his Christian faith. With 19.8 points per game, Williams produced at about the same clip this season as Lillard did (19.4 ppg) after he transferred in for his junior year in 2006-07. Oakland High wouldnt retire Lillards No. Money played well. That was the difference in the game. Those are the moments I struggle with. He was our best scorer, and he was carrying us at the time, so it was like hey, if it goes in, enjoy that time, so go ahead and shoot. Following a freshman season in which he led the conference in scoring, he was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Sky. Exploring Factors To Consider. I couldnt wait to get here.. Lillard was a three-time All-Star and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2013. WebDamian Lillard G #0. But, coach Don Lippi who hears what the hell happened to you? when people discover that he benched the frontrunner for the NBAs Rookie of the Year award depicts the brief era as the defensively-challenged sophomore needing to wait his turn. The highlight of that night was when, in a tie game, Lillard dribbled the ball upcourt with 13 seconds left. Thats what he carries from Oakland in his game to the NBA now.. During his freshman season, he averaged 12.5 points. But the bunches of points came, with the most emphatic coming near the end, when his driving dunk while being fouled by Jabari Smith Jr., gave him 58 points, and the ensuing free throw 59 points. Oakland taught Lillard hard work. 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