One of the signature moments of Damian Lillard’s career was in the 2018 playoffs when the star guard sent the OKC Thunder home with a series-winning buzzer-beater in the playoffs.
It’s a moment that has been forever etched into Dame’s legacy, to the point where the media isn’t letting anybody forget about it.
It has gone so far, in fact, that Adidas has made a new sneaker commemorating the performance. It features an OKC-inspired colorway (orange and blue) and a line of Lillard’s 50-point stat-line that night.
Ruthless: @Dame_Lillard has a new Adidas shoe dropping in OKC colors to celebrate his series-ending shot & 50 point game. 👋🏼😎 pic.twitter.com/gDiMIkK2lT
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) January 24, 2021
It’s a pretty dope concept but, for some fans, it has just become too much. Since Dame has yet to win an MVP or an NBA Championship, it’s kind of telling that a single shot is the most memorable moment of his career.
Of course, fans had to let the guy know it was time to put it to rest and move on…
still celebrating his only accomplishment 2 years later
— Thomas Boyd (@ThomasB19818385) January 25, 2021
Exactly he’s celebrating making it past the first round 2 years later. He a good player but bro… this is all you accomplished and roty
— 2 (@HakuXCrystals) January 25, 2021
I like dame but he’s living in the past
— GSZN (@GONZ0SZN) January 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/SerbianPointGod/status/1353719727315685384
it was a great series from him but cmon 😭😭
— ☄️ (@lfctrav1) January 25, 2021
Lillard apparently heard all the noise because, hours later, he was issued the following response to reporters:
“It’s a series of shoes Adidas has been working on where they’re acknowledging guys with the brand’s 50-point games. It wasn’t just my shoe. It was other guys across the brand. I think you should be expecting shoes like the D’Rose’s, the James Harden’s, guys who score 50 points having a shoe based on that night. For mine, they chose the OKC game.
I think I’ve had other games to choose from, but I’m ready to let that moment go, so that’s why I would have liked it to be a different game. I don’t want it to come off as I’m just living in the moment from two years ago. Honestly, it was a big moment, but it is what it is.”
Damian Lillard says this shoe is part of a series @adidas is doing to honor their players' 50 pt games.
"I'm ready to let that moment go…I think I'd like it to be a different game bc I don't want it to come off as I'm just living in the past" – @Dame_Lillard https://t.co/FhF0UKgZSL pic.twitter.com/fJUPw1Yq1M
— AJ McCord (@AJ_McCord) January 25, 2021
So, it’s not something that Dame was planning. In fact, according to him, he would have picked something different because he “doesn’t want to live in the past.”
Nevertheless, the Lillard slander will continue until he is able to find some success in the playoffs. Maybe it’ll be this year, maybe not… at this point, all we can do is sit back and watch.
