Damian Lillard: Legacy, Loyalty, and the Logo

I've been a fan of the Portland Trailblazers ever since I can remember. Granted, I'm only 21 years old, so I never got a chance to see those high-flying Blazer teams in the 90s or the world champion 1977 team. However, I can recall some incredible memories. Who can forget CJ's Game 7 heroics in the mile high altitude of Denver? Or Brandon Roy's classic game-winner against Houston? For all the pain Blazer fans have endured since the turn of the millennium, there have been some incredible, astounding moments. However, there is not a single moment that is better than the one that occurred on June 28th, 2012. That night, Damian Lillard was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers.

It's been a decade since that night, and Damian Lillard is still the face of the organization. How many titles have the Blazers won in the past decade? Zero. How many times have the Blazers been to the finals? Zero. How many All-Stars has Lillard played with? One. The lack of team success in the past decade would have sent 99.9% of stars out of town, but not Lillard. The casual NBA fan may view Lillard's decision to stay in Portland as the wrong one. But it is not and there are three reasons why: legacy, loyalty, and logo.

In today's NBA, players always talk about legacy. Players speak about winning titles, racking up indivudal accolades, and sustaining overall success as the ticket to a powerful legacy. However, Lillard's version of legacy is different. Do not get me wrong - Lillard is gunning for titles and accolades as much as anybody. He is one of hardest workers in the league year in and year out. Here's the difference though: he wants to do it the right way. Lillard wants to leave a legacy of commitment and winning; he does not pick between the two. This is called the "both-and" method, and I learned this from a book called the Messiah Method by Michael A. Zigarelli. The Messiah Method dives into the sustained success of the Messiah college soccer program; they have won 11 of the past 2o soccer national championships! In this book, it discusses the "both-and" method when it comes to recruiting players. Messiah doesn't pick between talented players and players of high character. They pick both talented players and players of high character. There is no room for compromise. This method applies to Lillard's career, and his goals related to legacy. Lillard wants to be remembered as the player that was both committed to the Trailblazers for his entire career and won rings in the process. Granted, the titles may ultimately not come Lillard's way in Portland, but that is not the point. Lillard is forging his own path to legacy; one that is extremely important and impactful on people.

If there is one word that truly has defined Lillard's career thus far, it would be loyalty. Lillard's decisions, goals, and previous accomplishments have all become intertwined with that world. He talks about it. He believes in it. Most importantly, he lives it out. Other stars preach loyalty and claim that it matters to them. However, their actions show differently. Here are some recent, notable examples: Kyrie leaving Boston after promising he would resign, Lebron going to Miami and ditching Cleveland, and Kevin Durant going to Golden State and abandoning Oklahoma City. Those three examples all have this in common: each player believed there was a better situation elsewhere, and they were willing to sacrifice relationships and their reputation in the short-term. Let's take KD for example: he bolts for Golden State and wins two NBA Finals and two Finals MVPs. He enjoyed immense success in the Bay Area. However, the negative publicity he received for opting to leave Oklahoma City holds weight and is a caveat to an otherwise extraordinary career. The morale of the story is this: the grass is not always greener on the other side. On April 7th, 2015, Lillard tweeted out that "the grass is always greener where you water it". This perfectly sums up Lillard's thinking: you can make the most of your situation if you invest time and resources into it.

Ever since Lillard arrived in Portland, he has had a flair for the dramatic. Whether it was his first game-winner against New Orleans or his 61 point performance against Golden State, Dame has provided fireworks and incredible entertainment for Portland fans. Throughout all of these incredible moments, there has been one word that has become synonymous with Lillard: the logo. On the court, Dame has amazed fans across the globe with his limitless range and smooth shot. Who can forget the clutch logo three against the Nets in the bubble? Or the three to open the series against the Thunder in 2019? Dame has cultivated moments upon moments of logo bombs. However, when I speak of the logo, I am not just talking about the on-court moments. I am also talking about the brand Dame has built off the court. Lillard's fingerprints are all over Portland; he is the face of the city. He is on billboards, in commercials, and is the hero of many young Portland kids. Parents see him as a role model and kids aspire to be like him. Why? I can assure you it is not because he has bounced around from team to team. Dame has carefully built his image on legacy and loyalty, and his logo is now reaping the benefits.

As we look ahead to this upcoming season, the Blazers have positioned themselves as a team that can be one of the most improved squads. A balanced, athletic roster around Dame has Blazer fans salivating at the potential of this group. But, if we are being honest, these next 3-5 years are Dame's last years to realistically have a shot to win in Portland. Nevertheless, let's appreciate his greatness while we can. And not just on the court. As I stated above, Dame's legacy and loyolty is what makes him who he is. It is also what makes this Blazer team go. The chemistry in Portland has always been top-notch, and you can thank the man who leads the symphony. When season starts on October 19th against the Kings, Dame will once again lead the charge towards a title. And he won't be marching to the beat of anyone else's drum.