The home is secluded and peaceable, a contemporary construction with giant home windows on the finish of a protracted driveway. It was completed roughly a 12 months in the past, simply earlier than its proprietor, Damian Lillard, was traded from the Path Blazers to the Bucks. Lillard returned as quickly because the season ended and has been within the Portland space for many of the summer time, maintaining issues, in his phrases, “actually easy.”
The whole lot he wants is right here, together with a state-of-the-art fitness center, the place we’ve set as much as shoot the duvet of SLAM 252. Behind one basket, stretching the whole size of the wall, is a blown-up picture of Lillard’s series-clinching three-pointer in opposition to the Rockets in 2014; behind the opposite, the unforgettable shot that knocked out the Thunder in 2019. Different pictures marking important moments in Lillard’s life and profession encompass the court docket—of household and buddies, of award ceremonies and celebrations, of dunks and game-winners. “All a part of the story,” he says.
SLAM 252 that includes Damian Lillard is out there now.
A 12 months in the past, Lillard wasn’t positive the place the following chapter of that story would unfold. After requesting a commerce in July, his summer time plans needed to be altered. He couldn’t play competitively—couldn’t practice as rigorously as he likes to—figuring out that an harm would compromise negotiations. He waited three months till the take care of Milwaukee was accomplished, leaving him with just some days to pack his luggage and modify to his new scenario earlier than coaching camp started. It was all so hectic.
This summer time has been a refreshing change. Much less enterprise, extra household. Much less uncertainty, extra peace. Much less ready, extra motion. Lillard has been in a position to give attention to his coaching, embracing a holistic strategy that features a strict anti-inflammatory food regimen. He even spent 4 days in Las Vegas understanding with retired Navy SEAL David Goggins.
Because the 2024-25 season looms, Lillard is ready in a means that wasn’t attainable final September, each bodily and mentally. Right here, he displays on the previous 12 months, his transition to Milwaukee, constructing chemistry with Giannis Antetokounmpo and way more.
SLAM: What was it prefer to work out with David Goggins and the way did that come about?
Damian Lillard: We had had many conversations during the last two-and-a-half years about getting collectively and coaching. And he would at all times inform me, like, ‘Man, I might take you to the following stage so far as your conditioning and your thoughts.’ And I wished to do it. It was only a matter of discovering the time and alternative that match each of our schedules. And that point got here this summer time.
It was positively a problem bodily. Loads of these workouts and conditioning drills that he pushes you thru are a problem. It pushes you previous your limits. However I feel it was extra of a psychological factor than something. You understand how laborious it’s to do these issues, after which he’s continually demanding extra. I walked away from it simply understanding myself just a little bit higher, so far as like what you need to give. There have been a variety of moments [where] I used to be able to stop. And he didn’t say, ‘Simply give me just a little bit extra.’ He was demanding much more once I had nothing left. He saved saying, ‘Don’t simply survive, you gotta conquer it.’ And the truth that I used to be in a position to try this, I feel it did change one thing for me mentally so far as once I really feel like I’m breaking down and carrying down.
SLAM: Reflecting on final season, what are the challenges that include adapting to a brand new staff that folks on the skin are inclined to overlook?
DL: I feel the primary factor individuals don’t perceive is the change that it’s for the particular person—the change that comes with selecting up and going into a brand new surroundings. Typically you permit one job for an additional job and also you may need to relocate, however lots of people go job to job domestically. They don’t should pack up their lives and go to a very totally different place. And that’s not one thing that everyone experiences the identical as us.
The quantity two factor is having to study to work with any person new. And never simply having to—being anticipated to work collectively and determine it out instantly. And I feel that’s one thing individuals don’t perceive. They simply take a look at, This participant’s nice, that participant’s nice, you bought this, you bought that, and so they simply assume it’s imagined to work. However you gotta work out the way it works for everyone. Me enjoying with Giannis is one factor, however we have now to determine how we work greatest and the way that works for everyone, as a result of there are a variety of guys which have to have the ability to do what they do greatest and be ready to succeed for the staff to succeed. So I feel lots of people take a look at two [people], and so they don’t take a look at the large image of the whole staff.
SLAM: Now that you just’ve been in a position to get settled a bit in Milwaukee, is there a stage of consolation and peace that you just assume will translate to the court docket?
DL: I positively assume there’s. Like I mentioned, with the ability to come again and do every thing to organize myself to the most effective of my potential is the very first thing. I do know that when this summer time ends and I prepare to return to Milwaukee, I’m gonna return ready, not simply due to what I did for my physique, my PT, my power and conditioning and my food regimen—all of these issues are nice for me bodily however with the ability to come right here and I didn’t say, All proper, this summer time I’m gonna take off and go on all these holidays and do all these items. I spent a variety of time with the those who I actually care about and that I wish to be round, and that’s my children, my mother, my nephews, my sister, my brother, my cousins. We didn’t do an entire lot, we simply spent a variety of time round one another. And I feel that that did me very effectively this summer time. So going again figuring out that I’m bodily ready and I’m mentally ready and it’s a extra acquainted scenario. We gained some stability with [head coach] Doc [Rivers]. Figuring out who I’m gonna go play for, having a a lot better understanding of the staff, figuring out guys now—I imply, it’s simply totally different. And all of these issues give me a unique stage of peace going into it than I ever might’ve had final 12 months.
SLAM: You talked final 12 months in regards to the problem of determining who you might be on the Bucks. With a 12 months underneath your belt, have you ever figured it out?
DL: I feel I positively have a a lot better concept coming off of final season and solely attending to know the workers higher. Even over the summer time, spending time round them, speaking to them, and likewise with the ability to step away and look again, I’ve a a lot better concept what is important for me. I do know that I don’t have to play the identical kind of recreation that I performed for the primary 11 years of my profession, however I feel my mentality needs to be what my mentality has at all times been. As a substitute of attempting to return and overly slot in, I feel I used to be introduced in to be who I’m. I spent an excessive amount of time attempting to ease my means into, What does it appear to be?, as an alternative of simply asserting myself and being who I’m. Trying again now and likewise being there for a while, I feel my understanding of that’s a lot better.
SLAM: How has your relationship and chemistry with Giannis developed and the place is it at now?
DL: I feel it developed nice over the course of the season. He’s not an excellent talkative particular person and I’m not an excellent talkative particular person myself. Over time, I’ve turn out to be [more outspoken] the extra that I begin to construct relationships with individuals, particularly on the staff. And I feel because the season went on, me and him positively began to speak increasingly, and I began to return to his home to do conditioning or work out collectively. We’re on the telephone. I’m sending him clips and stuff like that. And this summer time, we’ve been in fixed communication. We each know that we’d like one another. I feel he’s excited coming into the season similar to I’m, as a result of we grew to become lots nearer because the season went on and we began to study [about] one another lots higher. So having a full offseason of being related to one another and with the ability to go into this subsequent season, I feel we’re each going to be prepared. And we’re each excited to do what we gotta do.
SLAM: Are you able to speak particularly about constructing pick-and-roll chemistry with Giannis? How has that developed?
DL: To start out the 12 months, we simply weren’t in a variety of pick-and-rolls collectively for a very long time. We had been enjoying in transition, or I used to be in ISO, or he was in ISO. It simply wasn’t a variety of pick-and-rolls. One of the best ways to get chemistry in pick-and-rolls is to be in a variety of pick-and-rolls collectively. And I feel it received to the purpose with Doc the place he was having us in follow, simply, Set it. Throw it to Giannis. Giannis, give it again to Dame. All proper, Dame, throw it again. All proper, Giannis, uphill DHO. It was nearly just like the staff was laughing at us, simply repping it out time and again.
Then in video games, we ended up being in a variety of these actions collectively much more the second half of the 12 months. I began to see what he was pondering, and I feel he began to see what I used to be pondering, after which we might discuss it. When you begin to construct chemistry, then I can begin directing just a little bit extra as a result of we’re extra related, as an alternative of me simply attempting to inform him what I need him to do [when] we haven’t even actually labored collectively on it. [I was] wanting to provide him the respect of, like, he may need one thing that he desires me to perform a little bit totally different, but it surely’s laborious to determine that out if you’re not in a variety of pick-and-rolls collectively. And because the season went on, I began to see how I could make the sport simpler for him, and I feel he began to see what I wanted from him to be free out of the pick-and-roll. And from right here, I feel it’ll proceed to simply get higher.
SLAM: Do you are feeling like persons are overlooking the Bucks heading into this season?
DL: Yeah, I feel persons are positively [doing that], and that’s how the league is. It’s like, on to the following factor. There are youthful groups on the rise, you may have groups that made large free company strikes, groups that made trades, all varieties of issues happened. So clearly that’s going to be what’s horny. Once I received traded to Milwaukee, it was like, Oh, the Bucks gonna win! Everyone simply jumped on it, you recognize? So when one thing main occurs or one thing large occurs for a staff, particularly if it’s already a very good staff, like after all [that’s the reaction]. Rightfully so, all of these varieties of groups are going to be talked about on the high.
SLAM: On the Membership 520 Podcast, you talked about how consistency tends to get boring for individuals, to the purpose the place it begins to go neglected. Are you able to elaborate on {that a} bit and the way you’ve seen that play out throughout your profession?
DL: I feel early in my profession, I at all times felt like I used to be underappreciated. I had an underdog mentality. Typically even once I was getting credit score, I felt like I wasn’t getting sufficient credit score or they had been ignoring what I used to be doing. After which I feel I reached a degree in my profession the place I began to get acknowledged how I felt I ought to be acknowledged. After which quick ahead to being named to the seventy fifth Anniversary Group, [that was] like, the last word nod to what my physique of labor has been and the way constant I’ve been since I stepped foot within the NBA.
However on the podcast, I used to be actually simply saying, like, I’m not loud and I’m not saying an excessive amount of and doing all these items, however I’m at all times productive. Even in a season like final season the place I really feel like I might have been higher in a variety of areas, I nonetheless had a productive season, and we had been nonetheless a profitable staff all through the season—a two-seed for just about the whole season. I feel individuals simply type of look previous it due to what they assume we ought to be or no matter their private opinions are. However the reality of the matter is, I’ve at all times been productive. That is gonna be my 13th season, and I proceed to simply present up and be productive. And my staff is at all times a very good staff. Over time, persons are similar to, Yeah, you don’t have a hoop. What’s subsequent? However I feel they get tired of the truth that I simply do it time and again and time and again and over. It’s like, Do one thing else. When it’s actually, like, I’m exhibiting up, placing my greatest foot ahead.
SLAM: We see how a lot enjoyable you’re having together with your children right this moment. Are you able to describe the motivation that you just get from them?
DL: I get a variety of motivation from being a dad and from my children as a result of how I used to be raised—like, the rules and the values that my dad and mom raised me with—having my very own children, now I received much more satisfaction about these issues. There are some mornings the place I gotta work out at 6:30 and I’ll get my children up and produce them in right here. They could have a pill or no matter it’s so they’re entertained and never getting in the way in which, however they’ll sit over there whereas I work out as a result of I need them to have the ability to see, like, this didn’t simply come out of nowhere. You gotta work laborious for stuff. You gotta do stuff that you just don’t wish to do. Quite a bit goes into the life that you just guys have. And I need them, from a younger age, to know what it means to work laborious for issues and sacrifice. I say that to say, they should see me be the last word instance of what I preach to them.
And the motivation is available in the place, if I’m being criticized, or if I’m struggling, or if one thing makes me uncomfortable, I take into consideration my children once I’m having to answer these varieties of conditions. I do know that, particularly with the web and cameras being all over the place, there’s gonna come a day the place my children will probably be sufficiently old to know like, This was taking place to my dad or, This was what individuals had been saying about my dad, and there can even be proof of how I responded to these issues. Regardless of the scenario is, I’ll be the instance for my children and my nephews and nieces, the place they’ll be like, He’s not simply telling us this, there will probably be proof of, like, That is who I’m. I feel that’ll give them a way of satisfaction, as a result of they’ll see it with their very own eyes. And I really feel that means as a result of that’s how I really feel about my dad. He mentioned all these items to me and I see him stroll that out. In order that’s the type of motivation I’ve. It’s not about—if I win a championship, that’d be nice. That’s a cherry on high. However the way you characterize your self and what you stand on as a human, I feel that’s most essential. So I get a variety of motivation from the alternatives to indicate that even when it’s a troublesome or a nasty scenario.
Portraits by Gabe Pineda, Victory Inventive Group.
