Damian Lillard Bio
Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association. He was born on July 15, 1990, in Oakland, California, and has established himself as one of the most prolific scorers and clutch performers in NBA history. Lillard, nicknamed “Dame Time,” was selected sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and won the NBA Rookie of the Year award that same season. Throughout his career, he has earned nine NBA All-Star selections, including being named All-Star Game MVP in 2024, and has been selected to multiple All-NBA Teams. He is the Portland Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer and ranks among the NBA’s all-time leaders in three-point field goals made. Beyond basketball, Lillard has built a successful music career under the stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A. and serves as the general manager of the Weber State Wildcats men’s basketball program.
Early Life and Background
Damian Lillard grew up in Oakland, California, and began his high school career at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, California, where he joined the varsity starting lineup as a 5-foot-5 freshman. He transferred to St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda for his sophomore year before completing his high school career at Oakland High School under coach Orlando Watkins. At Oakland High School, Lillard was named First Team All-League both his junior and senior years, averaging 22.4 points and 5.2 assists per game as a senior while leading the Wildcats to a 23-9 record.
Despite his strong high school performance, Lillard was only rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com and was not heavily recruited by major college programs. He accepted a scholarship offer from Weber State, a Big Sky Conference program in Ogden, Utah, after head coach Randy Rahe personally attended one of his games during Lillard’s junior year of high school. Lillard chose Weber State partly because he wanted to get away from his violent Oakland neighborhood. He received competing offers from Wichita State, Saint Mary’s, and San Diego State but ultimately decided to play for the Wildcats.
Path to Professional Basketball
At Weber State, Lillard quickly established himself as one of the top players in the Big Sky Conference. As a freshman, he averaged 11.5 points per game and was named Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Sky. He improved his scoring to 19.9 points per game as a sophomore and led the Wildcats to the conference championship, earning Big Sky Player of the Year honors and honorable mention All-American recognition from the Associated Press. During his redshirt junior season, Lillard averaged 24.5 points per game and led the nation in scoring for much of the year before finishing second nationally.
On December 3, 2011, Lillard scored a college career-high 41 points against San Jose State, including a game-clinching three-point play to give Weber State a 91-89 double-overtime victory. At the end of that season, he earned his third first-team all-conference selection and won his second Big Sky Player of the Year award. He was also a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the top point guard in college basketball. Widely regarded as the top point guard prospect in the country, Lillard decided to skip his senior season and enter the 2012 NBA Draft. He finished his college career as the No. 2 scorer in Weber State history with 1,934 points and completed his degree in professional sales from Weber State University in May 2015.
Damian Lillard Career
Portland Trail Blazers (2012-2023)
Lillard was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. In his NBA debut against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 31, 2012, he recorded 23 points and 11 assists, becoming only the third player in NBA history, alongside Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson, to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in their NBA debut. He won the Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend, becoming the first Trail Blazer to win an event at NBA All-Star Weekend. For the 2012-13 season, Lillard averaged 19.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game while starting all 82 games, claiming the NBA Rookie of the Year Award unanimously and breaking the NBA rookie record for three-pointers in a season with 185.
During the 2013-14 season, Lillard continued his emergence as one of the NBA’s elite point guards. In Game 6 of the first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, he made a buzzer-beating three-pointer as time expired to give the Trail Blazers a 99-98 victory, advancing Portland to the second round for the first time since 2000. The Trail Blazers eventually lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the second round, but Lillard had established himself as a clutch performer. On February 19, 2016, he scored a career-high 51 points in a win over the Golden State Warriors, becoming the first player in NBA history to record at least 50 points, seven assists, and six steals since the steal became an official statistic.
During the 2017-18 season, Lillard was named to the All-NBA First Team, becoming only the third player in franchise history to earn First Team honors, joining Clyde Drexler and Bill Walton. He finished fourth in the NBA MVP voting that season. On April 23, 2019, Lillard hit a 37-foot game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer and finished with a playoff career-high 50 points to help the Trail Blazers eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games. The Trail Blazers advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in a four-game sweep. Following the season, Lillard signed a four-year, $196 million supermax contract extension with Portland.
Milwaukee Bucks (2023-2025)
On September 27, 2023, Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team trade. He made his Bucks debut on October 26, 2023, scoring 39 points in a 118-117 season-opening victory against the Philadelphia 76ers, setting a franchise record for points in a debut performance. On December 19, 2023, Lillard scored 40 points against the San Antonio Spurs and surpassed 20,000 career points, becoming only the fourth player in NBA history after LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and James Harden to have at least 20,000 points, 5,000 assists, and 2,000 three-pointers in his career.
During the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, Lillard won the Three-Point Contest for the second consecutive year, becoming the first back-to-back winner in over a decade. He was also named the NBA All-Star Game MVP, scoring 39 points including 11 three-pointers, and became the first player to win both the Three-Point Contest and the All-Star Game MVP in the same weekend. On March 8, 2024, Lillard passed Reggie Miller for fourth on the NBA’s all-time list for three-point field goals made. During the 2024-25 season, Lillard and the Bucks won the NBA Cup with a 97-81 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 17, 2024.
However, Lillard’s tenure with the Bucks was derailed by injury during the 2025 NBA Playoffs. On April 27, 2025, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon during Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, ending his season. An MRI confirmed the injury, which put his availability for the 2025-26 season into question. On July 6, 2025, the Bucks announced they had waived Lillard, stretching the remaining $103 million left on his contract.
Return to Portland (2025-Present)
On July 19, 2025, the Trail Blazers signed Lillard to a three-year, $42 million deal, marking his return to the franchise after previously spending 11 seasons with the team. While he did not play during the remainder of the 2025-26 season as he continued his recovery, his return represented a homecoming for the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. On February 14, 2026, Lillard won the Three-Point Contest at the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend despite not having played a game in the NBA that season, tying Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for the most Three-Point Contest titles in NBA history with three.
Playing Style and Strengths
Lillard is renowned for his exceptional shooting ability from long range and his clutch performances in crucial moments, earning him the nickname “Dame Time.” He possesses a powerful build for a point guard at 6-foot-2, allowing him to finish through contact at the rim while maintaining elite three-point shooting. His ability to shoot from well beyond the arc makes him a constant threat, and he has developed a reputation for making game-winning shots in the final seconds of games. Lillard is also a skilled playmaker with excellent court vision, capable of scoring 30 or more points while also distributing the ball effectively to teammates. His competitive fire and ability to perform in high-pressure situations have made him one of the most respected players in the league.
Notable Achievements and Milestones
Throughout his career, Lillard has accumulated numerous accolades including nine NBA All-Star selections, NBA All-Star Game MVP honors in 2024, and multiple All-NBA Team recognitions. He is the Portland Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer and ranks fourth on the NBA’s all-time list for three-point field goals made with over 2,800. He has scored 50 or more points in 15 career games and is one of only eight players in NBA history to score 70 or more points in a single game, accomplishing this feat with 71 points against the Houston Rockets on February 26, 2023, while also setting a franchise record with 13 three-pointers in that game. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Damian Lillard Career Wins
Lillard has established himself as one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, accumulating significant career totals across multiple statistical categories. He is the Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer and has surpassed 20,000 career points. His career highlights include 15 games with 50 or more points, multiple games with 60 or more points, and consistent appearances in the playoffs throughout his career. He has won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, earned nine All-Star selections, won the NBA All-Star Game MVP, and been named to the All-NBA First Team once and the All-NBA Second Team four times. He also won the NBA Cup championship in 2024 and the NBA Three-Point Contest three times.
Major Honors
Throughout his career, Lillard has accumulated numerous accolades including NBA Rookie of the Year (2013), nine NBA All-Star selections (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2024), All-NBA First Team (2018), four All-NBA Second Team selections (2016, 2019, 2020, 2021), two All-NBA Third Team selections (2014, 2023), three NBA Three-Point Contest championships (2023, 2024, 2026), and the NBA Cup championship (2024). He was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021 and was selected as an Eastern Conference starter in the All-Star Game twice. In college at Weber State, he was a two-time Big Sky Player of the Year and a three-time First-team All-Big Sky selection.
Three-Point Shooting Excellence
Lillard has established himself as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, winning the NBA Three-Point Contest three times (2023, 2024, 2026), tying Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for the most titles in NBA history. As of the end of the 2024-25 season, he ranked fourth on the NBA’s all-time list for three-point field goals made with 2,804, having passed Reggie Miller, Vince Carter, and Jason Terry during his career. His ability to shoot from deep, combined with his quick release and range, has made him a constant threat from beyond the arc throughout his career.
Damian Lillard Family
Family Background
Lillard was born in Oakland, California. His brother Houston played football at the junior college level before earning a scholarship to Southeast Missouri State and is now an Indoor Football League quarterback. His sister LaNae attended Lakeridge High School. Lillard wears jersey number 0, which represents his journey from Oakland, to Ogden, Utah, to Oregon. He has a Christian faith and has a tattoo on his left arm of Psalms 37:1-3. He is also related to cousin Keljin Blevins, who joined him on the Trail Blazers roster during the 2020-21 season.
Personal Life
Lillard resides in West Linn, Oregon, an affluent suburb of Portland. He and his former fiancée Kay’La Hanson had twins together, a daughter named Kali and a son named Kalii, born in January 2021. The couple married in September 2021 but were divorced by 2024. Lillard’s first child, Damian Jr., was born on March 29, 2018. He has established the RESPECT Program to help high school students in the Portland metro area graduate. He revived the Never Worry Picnic in Brookfield Park in East Oakland after his standout rookie season in 2013, an event that had been discontinued when he was 12 years old. In 2020, Lillard became co-owner of a Toyota dealership in McMinnville, Oregon, now known as Damian Lillard Toyota.
Dame D.O.L.L.A. Music Career
Beyond basketball, Lillard has established himself as a hip-hop artist under the stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A., which stands for Different On Levels the Lord Allows. He began rapping in his youth, influenced by his cousin Eugene “Baby” Vasquez, who moved to Oakland from New York City in the early 1990s. Lillard started a social media trend called “Four Bar Friday,” where he and participants submit videos of themselves rapping verses on Instagram every Friday with the hashtag #4BarFriday. He released his debut studio album, The Letter O, on October 21, 2016, followed by his second album, Confirmed, on October 6, 2017.
His third album, Big D.O.L.L.A., was released on August 9, 2019, featuring guest artists Lil Wayne, Mozzy, and Jeremih. He now has his own record label, Front Page Music. His single “Kobe,” released in September 2020 and featuring Snoop Dogg and Derrick Milano, was part of the NBA 2K21 soundtrack as a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant. In April 2024, he featured in Hong Kong boy group Mirror’s single “Day 0.” Lillard has endorsement deals with Adidas, for whom he has a signature shoe line called “Adidas Dame,” as well as Powerade, Spalding, Panini, Foot Locker, JBL, Biofreeze, and Moda Health. In 2019, he signed a contract with Hulu to promote the streaming service’s new campaign of adding live sports to their repertoire.
Weber State General Manager Role
With Lillard unlikely to play during the 2025-26 NBA season due to his recovery from a torn Achilles, he returned to his alma mater of Weber State and was introduced as the new general manager of the men’s basketball program on August 2, 2025. This role marks his transition into basketball operations and team management, allowing him to contribute to the sport in a new capacity while continuing his recovery from injury. He became the first NBA player actively under contract with another team to serve as a general manager at the Division I level.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a significant transition period for Lillard following his torn Achilles injury sustained during the 2025 NBA Playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks. After being waived by the Bucks on July 6, 2025, he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers on July 19, 2025, returning to the franchise where he spent his first 11 seasons and became the all-time leading scorer. While he did not play during the remainder of the 2025-26 season as he continued his recovery, he took on a leadership role with the Trail Blazers and began his tenure as general manager of the Weber State Wildcats men’s basketball program. His presence remained valuable to the organization as he worked toward a potential return to play while transitioning into executive responsibilities.