Damian Lillard came into the league after having played all 4 years at Weber State, coming into the league as a man in his early 20s. despite being picked 6th overall in 2012, Dame needed time to feel like he belonged in a league that was significantly younger than him. Of course, from the get-go it was clear to the world and to him that he had found his place in the NBA but a little bit of nudging from Kobe Bryant 6 years before his passing was something that truly helped Lillard out in the long run.
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Dame is someone who can be compared to Kobe without NBA fans being outraged at how someone from today’s NBA is being mentioned in the same breath as the ‘Black Mamba’. He’s had multiple moments as a Blazer that showcased the extent of his ‘Mamba Mentality’. His 48 points against the Los Angeles Lakers after Kobe’s tragic passing were reminiscent of Bryant’s undying competitiveness.
Damian Lillard gets words of encouragement from Kobe
Damian Lillard played in his first All-Star Game as a sophomore in the NBA during the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. While he knew he deserved a spot on the roster and this was what he had worked towards his whole life, hearing Kobe tell him he belonged on the court amongst the rest of the All-Stars was something he needed.
“You f**king belong here. You’re right where you’re supposed to be with everyone here. You’re an All-Star. Just keep working young fellow,” said Kobe to Dame in 2014 according to the latter who opened up to Chris Haynes about this incident in February of 2020.
Hearing it from the 5x NBA champion hit different for Dame as he would go on to reveal later on and rightfully so. Bryant wasn’t wrong either as Dame has made 7 All-Star teams since then, had 2 of the biggest shots in Playoff history, and made the NBA 75th Anniversary roster as well.
Kobe Bryant yelled at D’Angelo Russell to play better defense on Damian Lillard
D’Angelo Russell was a rookie when Kobe Bryant was in his last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. By that time, Damian Lillard had already established himself as not only one of the best young guards in the league but one of the best guards across the NBA as a whole.
So, when the Portland Trailblazers met the Los Angeles Lakers during this 2015-16, Dame was giving them work from every spot on the court. Russell, being the defending PG, couldn’t handle the constant barrage from Lillard and this prompted Kobe to yell out at him, rhetorically asking him, “What? you want the m*****f**** to have 50?”
