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, preserving issues, in his phrases, “actually easy.”
All the pieces he wants is right here, together with a state-of-the-art health club, the place we’ve set as much as shoot the duvet of SLAM 252. Behind one basket, stretching your entire size of the wall, is a blown-up picture of Lillard’s series-clinching three-pointer towards the Rockets in 2014; behind the opposite, the unforgettable shot that knocked out the Thunder in 2019. Different pictures marking vital moments in Lillard’s life and profession encompass the courtroom—of household and associates, 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 on the market now.
A 12 months in the past, Lillard wasn’t certain 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—understanding that an harm would compromise negotiations. He waited three months till the cope with Milwaukee was performed, leaving him with just some days to pack his luggage and alter 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 deal with his coaching, embracing a holistic method that features a strict anti-inflammatory weight loss program. 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 doable 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 far more.
SLAM: What was it wish to work out with David Goggins and the way did that come about?
Damian Lillard: We had had many conversations over the past two-and-a-half years about getting collectively and coaching. And he would at all times inform me, like, ‘Man, I may take you to the following degree so far as your conditioning and your thoughts.’ And I needed 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. A whole lot of these workout routines and conditioning drills that he pushes you thru are a problem. It pushes you previous your limits. However I believe it was extra of a psychological factor than something. You understand how onerous it’s to do these issues, after which he’s consistently demanding extra. I walked away from it simply understanding myself just a little bit higher, so far as like what it’s a must to give. There have been a whole lot of moments [where] I used to be able to give up. 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 believe it did change one thing for me mentally so far as once I really feel like I’m breaking down and sporting down.
SLAM: Reflecting on final season, what are the challenges that include adapting to a brand new crew that individuals on the skin are likely to overlook?
DL: I believe the primary factor folks don’t perceive is the change that it’s for the individual—the change that comes with choosing up and going into a brand new atmosphere. Typically you allow one job for one more job and also you might need to relocate, however lots of people go job to job regionally. They don’t must pack up their lives and go to a totally completely 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 individual new. And never simply having to—being anticipated to work collectively and determine it out straight away. And I believe that’s one thing folks 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 suppose it’s purported to work. However you gotta determine the way it works for everyone. Me enjoying with Giannis is one factor, however now we have to determine how we work finest and the way that works for everyone, as a result of there are a whole lot of guys which have to have the ability to do what they do finest and be ready to succeed for the crew to succeed. So I believe lots of people take a look at two [people], and so they don’t take a look at the large image of your entire crew.
SLAM: Now that you simply’ve been in a position to get settled a bit in Milwaukee, is there a degree of consolation and peace that you simply suppose will translate to the courtroom?
DL: I positively suppose there may be. Like I stated, with the ability to come again and do every thing to arrange myself to the very best of my means 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 weight loss program—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 this stuff. I spent a whole lot of time with the folks that I actually care about and that I need to be round, and that’s my youngsters, my mother, my nephews, my sister, my brother, my cousins. We didn’t do a complete lot, we simply spent a whole lot of time round one another. And I believe that that did me very properly this summer time. So going again understanding 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]. Understanding who I’m gonna go play for, having a a lot better understanding of the crew, understanding guys now—I imply, it’s simply completely different. And all of these issues give me a unique degree of peace going into it than I ever may’ve had final 12 months.
SLAM: You talked final 12 months concerning the problem of determining who you’re on the Bucks. With a 12 months below your belt, have you ever figured it out?
DL: I believe I positively have a a lot better thought 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 thought what is critical for me. I do know that I don’t have to play the identical sort of sport that I performed for the primary 11 years of my profession, however I believe my mentality needs to be what my mentality has at all times been. As a substitute of making an attempt to come back and overly slot in, I believe I used to be introduced in to be who I’m. I spent an excessive amount of time making an attempt to ease my means into, What does it seem like?, as a substitute of simply asserting myself and being who I’m. Wanting again now and likewise being there for a while, I believe 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 believe it developed nice over the course of the season. He’s not an excellent talkative individual and I’m not an excellent talkative individual myself. Over time, I’ve develop into [more outspoken] the extra that I begin to construct relationships with folks, particularly on the crew. And I believe because the season went on, me and him positively began to speak increasingly, and I began to come back to his home to do conditioning or work out collectively. We’re on the cellphone. 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 believe he’s excited coming into the season identical to I’m, as a result of we grew to become quite a bit nearer because the season went on and we began to study [about] one another quite a bit higher. So having a full offseason of being linked to one another and with the ability to go into this subsequent season, I believe 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 whole lot 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 whole lot of pick-and-rolls. One of the best ways to get chemistry in pick-and-rolls is to be in a whole lot of pick-and-rolls collectively. And I believe it acquired to the purpose with Doc the place he was having us in apply, 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 virtually just like the crew was laughing at us, simply repping it out again and again.
Then in video games, we ended up being in a whole lot of these actions collectively much more the second half of the 12 months. I began to see what he was considering, and I believe he began to see what I used to be considering, after which we might speak about it. When you begin to construct chemistry, then I can begin directing just a little bit extra as a result of we’re extra linked, as a substitute of me simply making an attempt to inform him what I need him to do [when] we haven’t even actually labored collectively on it. [I was] wanting to offer him the respect of, like, he might need one thing that he needs me to perform a little bit completely different, but it surely’s onerous to determine that out if you’re not in a whole lot 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 believe he began to see what I wanted from him to be free out of the pick-and-roll. And from right here, I believe it’ll proceed to simply get higher.
SLAM: Do you’re feeling like individuals are overlooking the Bucks heading into this season?
DL: Yeah, I believe individuals 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 have got groups that made large free company strikes, groups that made trades, all varieties of issues passed off. So clearly that’s going to be what’s horny. Once I acquired traded to Milwaukee, it was like, Oh, the Bucks gonna win! All people simply jumped on it, ? So when one thing main occurs or one thing large occurs for a crew, particularly if it’s already a great crew, like after all [that’s the reaction]. Rightfully so, all of these varieties of groups are going to be talked about on the prime.
SLAM: On the Membership 520 Podcast, you talked about how consistency tends to get boring for folks, to the purpose the place it begins to go ignored. Are you able to elaborate on {that a} bit and the way you’ve seen that play out throughout your profession?
DL: I believe 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 believe I reached a degree in my profession the place I began to get acknowledged how I felt I must be acknowledged. After which quick ahead to being named to the seventy fifth Anniversary Group, [that was] like, the final 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 this stuff, however I’m at all times productive. Even in a season like final season the place I really feel like I may have been higher in a whole lot of areas, I nonetheless had a productive season, and we had been nonetheless a profitable crew all through the season—a two-seed for just about your entire season. I believe folks simply sort of look previous it due to what they suppose we must 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 crew is at all times a great crew. Over time, individuals are identical to, Yeah, you don’t have a hoop. What’s subsequent? However I believe they get tired of the truth that I simply do it again and again and again and again and over. It’s like, Do one thing else. When it’s actually, like, I’m exhibiting up, placing my finest foot ahead.
SLAM: We see how a lot enjoyable you’re having along with your youngsters at the moment. Are you able to describe the motivation that you simply get from them?
DL: I get a whole lot of motivation from being a dad and from my youngsters as a result of how I used to be raised—like, the rules and the values that my mother and father raised me with—having my very own youngsters, now I acquired much more satisfaction about these issues. There are some mornings the place I gotta work out at 6:30 and I’ll get my youngsters up and produce them in right here. They may 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 onerous for stuff. You gotta do stuff that you simply don’t need to do. Loads goes into the life that you simply guys have. And I need them, from a younger age, to know what it means to work onerous for issues and sacrifice. I say that to say, they must see me be the final 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 youngsters once I’m having to reply to these varieties of conditions. I do know that, particularly with the web and cameras being in all places, there’s gonna come a day the place my youngsters will likely be sufficiently old to know like, This was taking place to my dad or, This was what folks 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 youngsters and my nephews and nieces, the place they’ll be like, He’s not simply telling us this, there will likely be proof of, like, That is who I’m. I believe 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 stated all these things to me and I see him stroll that out. In order that’s the sort of motivation I’ve. It’s not about—if I win a championship, that’d be nice. That’s a cherry on prime. However the way you characterize your self and what you stand on as a human, I believe that’s most necessary. So I get a whole lot of motivation from the alternatives to indicate that even when it’s a tricky or a nasty scenario.
Portraits by Gabe Pineda, Victory Artistic Group.