The home is secluded and peaceable, a contemporary construction with massive home windows on the finish of a protracted driveway. It was completed roughly a 12 months in the past, simply earlier than its proprietor, Damian Lillard, was traded from the Path Blazers to the Bucks. Lillard returned as quickly because the season ended and has been within the Portland space for a lot of the summer season, maintaining issues, in his phrases, “actually easy.”
Every thing he wants is right here, together with a state-of-the-art health club, the place we’ve set as much as shoot the duvet of SLAM 252. Behind one basket, stretching your entire size of the wall, is a blown-up picture of Lillard’s series-clinching three-pointer in opposition to the Rockets in 2014; behind the opposite, the unforgettable shot that knocked out the Thunder in 2019. Different pictures marking vital moments in Lillard’s life and profession encompass the courtroom—of household and associates, of award ceremonies and celebrations, of dunks and game-winners. “All a part of the story,” he says.
SLAM 252 that includes Damian Lillard is offered now.
A 12 months in the past, Lillard wasn’t certain the place the following chapter of that story would unfold. After requesting a commerce in July, his summer season plans needed to be altered. He couldn’t play competitively—couldn’t practice as rigorously as he likes to—understanding that an damage would compromise negotiations. He waited three months till the take care of Milwaukee was completed, leaving him with just some days to pack his baggage and alter to his new state of affairs earlier than coaching camp started. It was all so hectic.
This summer season has been a refreshing change. Much less enterprise, extra household. Much less uncertainty, extra peace. Much less ready, extra motion. Lillard has been capable of deal with his coaching, embracing a holistic strategy that features a strict anti-inflammatory weight loss plan. He even spent 4 days in Las Vegas figuring out with retired Navy SEAL David Goggins.
Because the 2024-25 season looms, Lillard is ready in a approach that wasn’t potential final September, each bodily and mentally. Right here, he displays on the previous 12 months, his transition to Milwaukee, constructing chemistry with Giannis Antetokounmpo and far more.
SLAM: What was it wish to work out with David Goggins and the way did that come about?
Damian Lillard: We had had many conversations over the past two-and-a-half years about getting collectively and coaching. And he would at all times inform me, like, ‘Man, I may take you to the following degree so far as your conditioning and your thoughts.’ And I needed to do it. It was only a matter of discovering the time and alternative that match each of our schedules. And that point got here this summer season.
It was positively a problem bodily. Lots of these workouts and conditioning drills that he pushes you thru are a problem. It pushes you previous your limits. However I believe it was extra of a psychological factor than something. You notice how exhausting it’s to do these issues, after which he’s continually demanding extra. I walked away from it simply understanding myself a little bit bit higher, so far as like what it’s important to give. There have been loads of moments [where] I used to be able to give up. And he didn’t say, ‘Simply give me a little bit bit extra.’ He was demanding much more once I had nothing left. He stored saying, ‘Don’t simply survive, you gotta conquer it.’ And the truth that I used to be in a position to do this, I believe it did change one thing for me mentally so far as once I really feel like I’m breaking down and sporting down.
SLAM: Reflecting on final season, what are the challenges that include adapting to a brand new crew that individuals on the skin are inclined to overlook?
DL: I believe the primary factor individuals don’t perceive is the change that it’s for the individual—the change that comes with choosing up and going into a brand new atmosphere. Typically you permit one job for one more job and also you may need to relocate, however lots of people go job to job domestically. They don’t should pack up their lives and go to a totally totally different place. And that’s not one thing that everyone experiences the identical as us.
The quantity two factor is having to be taught to work with any person new. And never simply having to—being anticipated to work collectively and determine it out immediately. And I believe that’s one thing individuals don’t perceive. They simply have a look at, This participant’s nice, that participant’s nice, you bought this, you bought that, they usually simply suppose it’s presupposed to work. However you gotta determine the way it works for everyone. Me taking part in with Giannis is one factor, however we have now to determine how we work greatest and the way that works for everyone, as a result of there are loads of guys which have to have the ability to do what they do greatest and be able to succeed for the crew to succeed. So I believe lots of people have a look at two [people], they usually don’t have a look at the massive image of your entire crew.
SLAM: Now that you simply’ve been capable of get settled a bit in Milwaukee, is there a degree of consolation and peace that you simply suppose will translate to the courtroom?
DL: I positively suppose there may be. Like I mentioned, with the ability to come again and do every little thing to arrange myself to one of the best of my means is the very first thing. I do know that when this summer season ends and I prepare to return to Milwaukee, I’m gonna return ready, not simply due to what I did for my physique, my PT, my energy and conditioning and my weight loss plan—all of these issues are nice for me bodily however with the ability to come right here and I didn’t say, All proper, this summer season I’m gonna take off and go on all these holidays and do all these items. I spent loads of time with the folks that I actually care about and that I wish to be round, and that’s my youngsters, my mother, my nephews, my sister, my brother, my cousins. We didn’t do a complete lot, we simply spent loads of time round one another. And I believe that that did me very effectively this summer season. So going again understanding that I’m bodily ready and I’m mentally ready and it’s a extra acquainted state of affairs. We gained some stability with [head coach] Doc [Rivers]. Realizing who I’m gonna go play for, having a a lot better understanding of the crew, understanding guys now—I imply, it’s simply totally different. And all of these issues give me a special degree of peace going into it than I ever may’ve had final 12 months.
SLAM: You talked final 12 months in regards to the problem of determining who you might be on the Bucks. With a 12 months below your belt, have you ever figured it out?
DL: I believe I positively have a a lot better concept coming off of final season and solely attending to know the workers higher. Even over the summer season, spending time round them, speaking to them, and likewise with the ability to step away and look again, I’ve a a lot better concept what is critical for me. I do know that I don’t have to play the identical kind of recreation that I performed for the primary 11 years of my profession, however I believe my mentality needs to be what my mentality has at all times been. As an alternative of attempting to come back and overly slot in, I believe I used to be introduced in to be who I’m. I spent an excessive amount of time attempting to ease my approach into, What does it appear to be?, as a substitute of simply asserting myself and being who I’m. Wanting again now and likewise being there for a while, I believe my understanding of that’s a lot better.
SLAM: How has your relationship and chemistry with Giannis advanced and the place is it at now?
DL: I believe it developed nice over the course of the season. He’s not a brilliant talkative individual and I’m not a brilliant talkative individual myself. Over time, I’ve develop into [more outspoken] the extra that I begin to construct relationships with individuals, particularly on the crew. And I believe because the season went on, me and him positively began to speak increasingly more, and I began to come back to his home to do conditioning or work out collectively. We’re on the telephone. I’m sending him clips and stuff like that. And this summer season, we’ve been in fixed communication. We each know that we’d like one another. I believe he’s excited coming into the season similar to I’m, as a result of we grew to become rather a lot nearer because the season went on and we began to be taught [about] one another rather a lot higher. So having a full offseason of being linked to one another and with the ability to go into this subsequent season, I believe we’re each going to be prepared. And we’re each excited to do what we gotta do.
SLAM: Are you able to discuss particularly about constructing pick-and-roll chemistry with Giannis? How has that developed?
DL: To start out the 12 months, we simply weren’t in loads of pick-and-rolls collectively for a very long time. We have been taking part in in transition, or I used to be in ISO, or he was in ISO. It simply wasn’t loads of pick-and-rolls. One of the simplest ways to get chemistry in pick-and-rolls is to be in loads of pick-and-rolls collectively. And I believe it received to the purpose with Doc the place he was having us in apply, simply, Set it. Throw it to Giannis. Giannis, give it again to Dame. All proper, Dame, throw it again. All proper, Giannis, uphill DHO. It was virtually just like the crew was laughing at us, simply repping it out time and again.
Then in video games, we ended up being in loads of these actions collectively much more the second half of the 12 months. I began to see what he was considering, and I believe he began to see what I used to be considering, after which we might speak about it. When you begin to construct chemistry, then I can begin directing a little bit bit extra as a result of we’re extra linked, as a substitute of me simply attempting to inform him what I need him to do [when] we haven’t even actually labored collectively on it. [I was] wanting to present him the respect of, like, he may need one thing that he desires me to do some bit totally different, but it surely’s exhausting to determine that out if you’re not in loads of pick-and-rolls collectively. And because the season went on, I began to see how I could make the sport simpler for him, and I believe he began to see what I wanted from him to be free out of the pick-and-roll. And from right here, I believe it’ll proceed to only get higher.
SLAM: Do you are feeling like persons are overlooking the Bucks heading into this season?
DL: Yeah, I believe persons are positively [doing that], and that’s how the league is. It’s like, on to the following factor. There are youthful groups on the rise, you’ve gotten groups that made large free company strikes, groups that made trades, all kinds of issues came about. So clearly that’s going to be what’s attractive. Once I received traded to Milwaukee, it was like, Oh, the Bucks gonna win! All people simply jumped on it, you already know? So when one thing main occurs or one thing large occurs for a crew, particularly if it’s already a great crew, like in fact [that’s the reaction]. Rightfully so, all of these kinds of groups are going to be talked about on the prime.
SLAM: On the Membership 520 Podcast, you talked about how consistency tends to get boring for individuals, to the purpose the place it begins to go neglected. Are you able to elaborate on {that a} bit and the way you’ve seen that play out throughout your profession?
DL: I believe early in my profession, I at all times felt like I used to be underappreciated. I had an underdog mentality. Typically even once I was getting credit score, I felt like I wasn’t getting sufficient credit score or they have been ignoring what I used to be doing. After which I believe I reached some extent in my profession the place I began to get acknowledged how I felt I ought to be acknowledged. After which quick ahead to being named to the seventy fifth Anniversary Workforce, [that was] like, the final word nod to what my physique of labor has been and the way constant I’ve been since I stepped foot within the NBA.
However on the podcast, I used to be actually simply saying, like, I’m not loud and I’m not saying an excessive amount of and doing all these items, however I’m at all times productive. Even in a season like final season the place I really feel like I may have been higher in loads of areas, I nonetheless had a productive season, and we have been nonetheless a profitable crew all through the season—a two-seed for just about your entire season. I believe individuals simply sort of look previous it due to what they suppose we ought to be or no matter their private opinions are. However the truth of the matter is, I’ve at all times been productive. That is gonna be my 13th season, and I proceed to only present up and be productive. And my crew is at all times a great crew. Over time, persons are similar to, Yeah, you don’t have a hoop. What’s subsequent? However I believe they get tired of the truth that I simply do it time and again and time and again and over. It’s like, Do one thing else. When it’s actually, like, I’m displaying up, placing my greatest foot ahead.
SLAM: We see how a lot enjoyable you’re having together with your youngsters as we speak. Are you able to describe the motivation that you simply get from them?
DL: I get loads of motivation from being a dad and from my youngsters as a result of how I used to be raised—like, the ideas and the values that my dad and mom raised me with—having my very own youngsters, now I received much more delight about these issues. There are some mornings the place I gotta work out at 6:30 and I’ll get my youngsters up and produce them in right here. They may have a pill or no matter it’s so they’re entertained and never getting in the way in which, however they’ll sit over there whereas I work out as a result of I need them to have the ability to see, like, this didn’t simply come out of nowhere. You gotta work exhausting for stuff. You gotta do stuff that you simply don’t wish to do. Quite a bit goes into the life that you simply guys have. And I need them, from a younger age, to grasp what it means to work exhausting for issues and sacrifice. I say that to say, they should see me be the final word instance of what I preach to them.
And the motivation is available in the place, if I’m being criticized, or if I’m struggling, or if one thing makes me uncomfortable, I take into consideration my youngsters once I’m having to answer these kinds of conditions. I do know that, particularly with the web and cameras being all over the place, there’s gonna come a day the place my youngsters shall be sufficiently old to grasp like, This was taking place to my dad or, This was what individuals have been saying about my dad, and there will even be proof of how I responded to these issues. Regardless of the state of affairs is, I’ll be the instance for my youngsters and my nephews and nieces, the place they’ll be like, He’s not simply telling us this, there shall be proof of, like, That is who I’m. I believe that’ll give them a way of delight, as a result of they’ll see it with their very own eyes. And I really feel that approach as a result of that’s how I really feel about my dad. He mentioned all these items to me and I see him stroll that out. In order that’s the sort of motivation I’ve. It’s not about—if I win a championship, that’d be nice. That’s a cherry on prime. However the way you signify your self and what you stand on as a human, I believe that’s most essential. So I get loads of motivation from the alternatives to indicate that even when it’s a troublesome or a foul state of affairs.
Portraits by Gabe Pineda, Victory Artistic Group.