Damian Lillard has been a trailblazer in the evolution of modern basketball. His impressive shooting prowess and consistency have left a lasting impact on the game. Yet, the 34-year-old confessed to feeling overlooked by the basketball community. This feeling of under-appreciation became a major talking point during his appearance on the Club 520 Podcast.
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The show’s panelist, DJ Wells, was the first to bring this up. He initially named Lillard the second-best shooter in the NBA after Stephen Curry. He also praised the Bucks guard’s shooting range and diverse skill set to support his claim.
Wells’ co-panelist, Jeff Teague, immediately sided with him. He placed Lillard and Klay Thompson on the same pedestal as elite long-range shooters. However, the former NBA player gave Dame a slight advantage for his mastery over shooting off the dribble.
Lillard jumped into the conversation right after. Backing Teague’s remarks, he even pointed out the difficulty of shooting off the dribble during a game.
“It’s the hardest shot. They are more contested. People guarding you harder. It’s different, bro”.
As Dame explained these challenges, his emotions got the better of him. He claimed that the basketball community seldom acknowledged him for his nearly decade-long excellence. The 2013 ROTY soon referenced his remarkable seasonal averages to make his case.
“They definitely don’t talk about it. They act like I don’t be doing what I had been doing… It ain’t been that many people that been here the whole time since I have been in the league that just been doing it over and over. But I think people just get bored with consistency… The season before last I averaged almost 33 a game. I have been over 25 for damn near 8-9 years”.
Damian Lillard thinks he doesn’t get the credit he deserves
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 19, 2024
Given Lillard‘s impact on the league, his apparent frustration remained understandable to a certain extent. The Bucks star made an impression from the moment he entered the NBA. For instance, he averaged an impressive 19 points, and 6.5 assists per game in his rookie season to announce himself.
The 6ft 2 guard’s numbers grew exponentially in the following seasons. Those even allowed him to go toe-to-toe against his generation’s widely regarded best point guard, Stephen Curry.
While Curry averaged over 20 points twelve times and exceeded 25 points eight times during his 15-year career, the California-born did so ten times and seven times, respectively, in 12 years.
These astounding achievements created a unique legacy for Lillard. They helped him secure eight All-Star selections and seven All-NBA honors. In 2021, he cemented his place in history by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Dame remained confident in his qualities as an all-time great. He even called himself the best point guard of this generation during his 2023 appearance on Come and Talk 2 Me.
“I don’t think nobody is better than me…”
Despite this inimitable journey, Lillard rightly pointed out how he was frequently overlooked in conversations about today’s greats. As of now, winning a championship might be the key to breaking into those discussions. This would solidify his place amongst the best of this generation and, in turn, bring the deserved attention to his career.
