LaMarcus Aldridge retired this season due to health concerns, after an illustrious 15 season career that featured 7 All-Star appearances. During his time with the Portland Trail Blazers, Aldridge was one of the best big men in the league. Although he ended up leaving Portland for the San Antonio Spurs, he did manage to play with current Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard for a period of time.
Shams Charania of The Athletic has recently interviewed LaMarcus Aldridge about a variety of subjects, including his time with the Portland Trail Blazers. In the article, it is revealed that the one regret Aldridge has from his time in Portland is the fact that he didn’t develop a relationship with Damian Lillard.
They say hindsight is 20/20. As you get older you get more wiser and you see things more clear. I think as you get older, you have less of an ego, you’re less sensitive. Maybe all those things are true. The only thing I look back on is I wish I would have worked at it better to have a relationship with Dame (Lillard). I feel like we both had our circles talking to us. Maybe that helped stifle our relationship, but we definitely have gotten a better relationship since then. But I think just trying to get a better relationship with him. It’s just tough because people see the career I had, but people don’t realize how I got there.
I just feel like I wish Dame and I would’ve talked more and tried to develop a better relationship. Part of it was he was young, trying to find his way, and I had worked so hard to get to this spot I was at. I wish I would have worked harder … the only regret I have is I wish I would have worked harder to have a relationship with Dame.
There is no doubt that Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge would have been a formidable duo had Aldridge stayed with the Portland Trail Blazers. While Aldridge mentions here that their relationship wasn’t the best during their days in Portland, it seems that their relationship grew stronger as time passed by. It would have been amazing to see the duo together, and it is unfortunate that they couldn’t have reunited in Portland one last time.
