“Attribute Most of My Success to Him”: Anfernee Simons Credits Damian Lillard After Taking Down Bucks 125–112

Prateek Singh | 29/01/2025
Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Anfernee Simons (1) shoots the ball over Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Pat Connaughton (24) during the first half at Moda Center.

The Portland Trail Blazers registered a 13-point win over the Milwaukee Bucks at Moda Center yesterday. They have now won five of their last six games. Although the Blazers are on a great run, this particular win meant more to Anfernee Simons than any others as he faced his mentor, Damian Lillard, in the contest.

During his post-game interview, Simons talked about the importance of this win and how the team is capitalizing on their newfound chemistry. He was also asked about how his role in Portland changed when Dame moved to Milwaukee.

Simons said, “We’ve played each other a couple of times now, so I’ve got used to it. But obviously, he [Lillard] taught me a lot about the game.”

The 25-year-old said that Dame taught him how to navigate the league as a professional athlete and how to handle pressure and fame once it starts coming his way. Now that he’s getting the attention, all those lessons are becoming more useful for him.

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1884476462696165412

“I attribute most of my success to him. He taught me a lot,” the shooting guard added.

Having competed against Dame during the summer, he is now in a better position to handle the pressure on the floor. In the second quarter, the Blazers star was seen “dancing with his mentor” as they were going one-on-one during a Portland possession.

While being guarded by Lillard, Simons managed to put up a successful floater over him to bring the Bucks’ lead down to one point. He finished the game with 25 points, three rebounds, and seven assists. Dame must be proud to see his protégé coming into his own. He has had nothing but high praise for the youngster from the beginning.

Damian Lillard knew Anfernee Simons would be a star

Lillard left Portland in September of 2023. Till that time, he was the face of the franchise and was helping several youngsters develop into dependable players. Simons was one of them. In October 2018, only months after Simons was drafted by the Blazers as their 24th pick, he announced that the guard had the potential to be a future star.

Dame said, “When he gets to about 25, I’ll probably be close to on my way out of here…So, for me it’s different. I’m like, I kinda see him as he’s going to be a star here when I’m on my way out.”

The eight-time All-Star understood his responsibility as a veteran and took Simons under his wings from the beginning. Now, the result is out there for everyone to see.

Post Edited By: Satagni Sikder
anfernee simons Damian Lillard

About the author

Avatar photo

Prateek Singh

Prateek is a Senior NBA Writer for The SportsRush. He has over 900 published articles under his name. Prateek merged his passion for writing and his love for the sport of basketball to make a career out of it. Other than basketball, he is also an ardent follower of the UFC and soccer. Apart from the world of sports, he has followed hip-hop religiously and often writes about the origins, evolution, and the biggest stars of the music genre.

Don’t miss these