In a recent interview with the media, 8x NBA All-Star Damian Lillard admitted that he’s got a lot on his mind amid a disappointing season in Milwaukee. In an effort to portray his ongoing battles, he opened up on the full scope of his situation and the impact that his ongoing divorce is having on his mental focus right now.
“As people we all know, you got to go home to your own stuff, everybody that can watch our games they go to their personal stuff, and it plays a part in how you do your job and how your every day goes,” said Lillard, via Yahoo Sports. “As much as I love basketball, and I love my job, I don’t care about it more than I care about my kids. Of course you carry it with you,” Lillard said. “People say, ‘When I hoop I ain’t thinking about nothing,’ but I’m not 21. I got three kids. I’m tight with my family and I’m going through a divorce.”
It’s no secret that Lillard has struggled to adjust to his new surroundings. In Portland, Damian was a top 15 player in the game and he was dominant offensively as a scorer and full-time offensive initiator. In his last season with the Trail Blazers, he averaged a career-high 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. When you compare those numbers to his stats through 45 games this season (25.1 points, 7.8 assists per game) it becomes clear that his game has fallen off. The most concerning aspect of Lillard’s game this season is his abysmal shooting splits, which are currently at 42% from the field and just 34% from beyond the arc.
At 33 years old, Father Time could be the culprit for Lillard’s decline but it’s hard to ignore all the things that have happened behind the scenes. Just a week after he was traded, Damian filed for divorce from his estranged wife, Kay’La Hanson, and she’s demanding full custody of the kids in their legal proceedings. It’s impossible to know the outcome of a case that will likely span years, but it makes sense that the threat of losing his kids would impact Lillard’s play on the court and these feelings could longer for many months to come. Still, there is yet hope that he can turn it around and help the Bucks make a run.
Something Isn’t Right With The New-Look Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were expected to be dominant all season long, but that just hasn’t been the case through the first half of play. While the Bucks look good on paper with a 32-16 record, they’ve been among the most dysfunctional teams in the league from even before the season began. From the strange departure of Terry Stotts to the players outright rejecting head coach Adrian Griffin, it’s been a mess from the start for the Bucks and their play on the court has matched their inconsistency in the locker room.
Now, with Doc Rivers in tow, the Bucks are optimistic that they can bring out the best in their team but the wins haven’t come easy so far with an 0-2 record under the new coach. So far, Rivers has made it a point to try and feed Lillard the ball but if Dame can’t get his head back in the game, then Milwaukee may never reach their ultimate potential and Lillard may have to wait for validation on his controversial trade demand last summer.
“Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support”
