Damian Lillard Explains The Cons Of Going To A Big Market Team

BYAlexander Cole8.5K Views
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Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard remains adamant that he will never leave Portland.

Super teams and going to big markets seems like the thing to do these days in the NBA. As players look to chase rings and etch out their legacy, there are a few superstars who prefer to make a name for themself in the city they were drafted to. Damian Lillard is one of those stars as he had said time and time again that he will never leave the Trail Blazers to seek out a super team. Instead, Lillard would rather create a legacy where he is and that he is Portland for the long haul.

In a recent article from Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Lillard actually spoke about why joining a big market can be a bad thing. Essentially, Lillard believes it can be hard to build chemistry when you join a new team and that the expectations are so high that if it fails, moves could be made quicker than you would imagine. This would ultimately force the star to a third team, which leaves them back at square one.

Damian Lillard Explains The Cons Of Going To A Big Market Team
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“For every person that says I want to see him on the bigger stage and I want to see him go to a bigger market, of course those places have pros but nobody ever wants to talk about the cons,” Lillard said. “If you take that step and you go somewhere and it’s not where it seems to be and it doesn’t work out … or an injury happens and you haven’t established as much rapport with that team and they choose one guy over the next guy and now you’re traded to a third team.”

Perhaps the best example of this phenomenon is Russell Westbrook, who left the Thunder to join the Houston Rockets, only to be traded to the Washington Wizards a year later. Lillard doesn't want that fate and as a result, you probably won't ever see him in a jersey other than the Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard Explains The Cons Of Going To A Big Market Team
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

[Via]


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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