Damian Lillard rejoined the Blazers this past offseason after a couple of years as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s running mate with the Bucks. Injuries kept those two from making an honest run together, and when Dame tore his Achilles in the first round of last year’s playoffs, it spelled the end of their time together.
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The Bucks made the controversial decision to waive Dame and stretch his contract out so that they could sign Myles Turner, and it’s fair to say that hasn’t worked out for them. It’s been great for Dame though, since he was able to go back to the team he’d spent his first 11 seasons with. He’s been rehabbing his Achilles this season with an aim on returning at full strength next year.
Dame has accomplished a lot in his career. He was the 2013 Rookie of the Year and the 2024 All-Star Game MVP, and he’s won the 3-Point contest three times. He’s a nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA player, and he was also named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. Despite all that, Patrick Beverley doesn’t think Dame is a Hall-of-Famer.
“Hell no,” he said. “I love Dame. I love Dame, I promise you, I love Dame, and it’s no ill will, no beef with Dame at all. First off, I feel like too many people get in the Hall of Fame, let me start off with that.”
“Second off, Hall of Fame has to be a combination of points, rebounds, assists. It has to be a combination of wins … playoff appearances … and championships. How are we going to say no to D-Rose getting MVP and say yes to Dame Lillard? If he get a chip, for sure, but scoring a lot of points on OK teams, I don’t think that gets you into the Hall of Fame,” he explained.
There’s a lot to break down here, so let’s start with the obvious. Beverley claims that too many people make the Hall of Fame, but if that’s the case, how are we all of a sudden going to start limiting who makes it? How is that fair to current players that are better than some previous inductees?
Bringing up Derrick Rose isn’t the most informed argument, either. Yes, Rose won an MVP, becoming the youngest winner ever, in fact, but injuries derailed his career and limited his prime to about three years.
He made three All-Star teams. So should he get in because he has an MVP, even though the rest of his career paled in comparison to Dame’s? If the answer to that is yes, then let’s just make a rule that MVPs automatically get in.
Beverley also minimized Dame’s accomplishments by saying he scored a lot of points on OK teams but surely that cannot be on him. Dame carried the Blazers to the 2019 Western Conference Finals. His career is full of clutch moments and buzzer beaters. In fact, he’s the only guy other than Michael Jordan with more than one series-clinching buzzer beater.
You can’t make the 75th Anniversary Team and not make the Hall of Fame. It’s just not possible. Every eligible player on that team is in, and anyone who isn’t will be once they retire. Regardless of what Dame does the rest of his career, he’s getting in whether Pat Bev likes it or not.
