When considering the best players in the game today, Damian Lillard’s name often gets overlooked. While he may not have the success of Stephen Curry or the flashiness of Ja Morant, not many point guards in the business are better at the game than Lillard and he shows it constantly in more ways than one.
And while Lillard could theoretically make a lot more money (and fame) in a bigger market, the veteran superstar has found a real home in Portland and seems to be finding success where others have not.
CJ McCollum Says Damian Lillard is One Of The 75 Greatest Players Ever
After dropping 41 points for the Blazers on Friday, Lillard heard some words from his old friend CJ McCollum, who had this to say about Lillard and the legacy he has built with the Blazers.
Damian Lillard (17,530) now ranks ninth on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers list, 15th on the NBA’s career scoring average list, and 87th on the NBA’s all-time points scored list after passing Jason Kidd and counting. “It shows you why he’s one of the Top 75 greatest players of all-time,” McCollum said. “He’s still a very talented player. I joke with him all the time that if he doesn’t become a billionaire before this is over, you did something wrong.”
With roughly $450 million in projected earnings for his career, Lillard is not on track to be a billionaire, it’s very unlikely that he finds himself in a position worth complaining about.
Of course, basketball-wise, Damian is already up there with other Blazers’ legends, but he will be immortalized soon when he passes Clyde Drexler on the All-Time scoring list. As McCollum explained to HoopsHype, it’s a milestone that means a lot to Damian.
“I think that’s one of the reasons why he’s been so committed to being in Portland to break all the records, show his loyalty to win, and to continue to try and build a lasting legacy,” McCollum replied. “I think he’s done all those things. People will say what they want about him, but he really works on his game, and he really cares about the game of basketball.”
While Dame has found limited success in the postseason, he always keeps the Blazers in the fight and almost always gets recognized as the star that he is.
But if Lillard really wants to get the most out of his career, he’s going to need to bring Portland a championship — and that is a feat that will prove to be most challenging.
