Damian Lillard Tells Story Of How He Made His Mom Quit Her Job After He Made It To The NBA: “I’m A Millionaire Now… They Ain’t Been Doing You Right”

Damian Lillard's success in getting drafted to the NBA helped him convince his mother to quit her job.

4 Min Read

Damian Lillard is one of the best NBA players in the world right now, but he wasn’t always supposed to have made it this far. Lillard was playing for an under-recruited college in Weber State. However, his play was transcendent at the college level and the Portland Trailblazers took a chance on him by drafting him with their first-round pick in 2012. 

Lillard revealed to Andscape how being drafted by the Blazers allowed him to help his mother quit her job, as he had finally made it to the NBA and was bound to become a millionaire. 

“I just felt like, ‘I’m about to change my family’s life, my mom’s.’ First thing I did, all right, I’m a millionaire now so I went to my mom’s job and was like, ‘Quit.’ I literally went and helped her pack up her desk, everything. ‘They ain’t been doing you right. They’ve been on your ass about every little thing. We ain’t coming back.’ So that was kind of just my initial thought.”

“I ain’t going to lie. That was one of the best feelings I’ve had. I started telling her going into my last year of college [at mid-major Weber State University] that I was going to get drafted. We would talk on the phone at least every other day. And she’d be telling me how she had been feeling sick. They were on her about her production. They were basically threatening to fire her. She was stressed out and struggling at work with her health. And I was just constantly telling her things like, ‘The [Boston] Celtics were at practice today. The [Utah] Jazz was at practice today.’ I was just trying to pick up her spirits. We were just connected like that. She would tell me about her issues.

She was living in an apartment in San Leandro at the time with my sister. I was just trying to lift her up with my success. ‘I’m entering the draft this year when the school year is over.’ So, just knowing everything that I knew for that whole school year, when I finally got drafted and everything was pretty much set, I came home, and we literally went to her job in San Ramon. We walked in and everybody was aware that I just got drafted. So, they were like, ‘Oh, Gina, your son …’ Blah, blah. I was like, ‘We quit! We quit!’” (h.t Andscape)


Damian Lillard’s Loyalty To Portland

 One of the reasons that Lillard has stayed loyal to the Trailblazers even when he could have left for a contender is because they were the team that gave Lillard the opportunity to take care of his family as an NBA player. If the Blazers didn’t take a chance on Lillard, he never would have been in a position to take care of his family in the way he was able to after being drafted.

Over the years, Portland has paid Lillard whatever max they can give him. This means the point guard may have one of the biggest contracts in NBA history by the time he retires. His loyalty to the team has led to financial success that the NBA salary cap doesn’t allow through various free agent decisions.

Lillard is set to make over $500 million in NBA contracts in his career, an incredible feat for an undersized guard coming out of a college like Weber State.  

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *