Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). People know him for making big shots when the game is on the line, earning him the nickname "Dame Time".

Damian played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats. He was picked sixth overall in the 2012 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. In his first year, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. With the Trail Blazers, he became their all-time leading scorer. He was also chosen for the NBA All-Star team seven times.

In 2021, Damian won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He was also named to the special NBA 75th Anniversary Team. In 2023, he joined the Milwaukee Bucks. Outside of basketball, Damian is a rapper known as Dame D.O.L.L.A. He has released several albums, some of which have appeared on music charts.

Damian Lillard's Early Basketball Journey
- High School Years
- College Success at Weber State
Damian Lillard's NBA Career
- Portland Trail Blazers: Becoming a Star (2012–2023)
- Milwaukee Bucks: New Chapter (2023–Present)
Career Statistics
- NBA
- College
Awards and Honors
Damian Lillard's Life Off the Court
- Personal Life and Family
- Business and Music
Discography
- Studio albums
- Singles
  - As lead artist
  - As featured artist
Filmography
See also

Damian Lillard's Early Basketball Journey

High School Years

Damian Lillard started playing high school basketball at Arroyo High School. He was a starter even as a freshman. He later moved to St. Joseph Notre Dame High School and then to Oakland High School. At Oakland High, he was a top player, averaging over 19 points per game in his junior year. As a senior, he averaged 22.4 points and 5.2 assists, leading his team to a great record.

Even though he was a strong player, not many big colleges recruited him. But Weber State offered him a scholarship. Damian chose Weber State because he wanted to move away from his tough neighborhood in Oakland.

College Success at Weber State

At Weber State, Damian quickly became a star. In his first year, he averaged 11.5 points and was named the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year. In his second year, he led his team to the conference championship and was named Big Sky Player of the Year.

During his third year, he was one of the top scorers in the country, averaging 24.5 points per game. He even scored a college career-high of 41 points in one game! Damian decided to leave college early to enter the NBA draft. He finished his college career as one of the top scorers in Weber State history. He later completed his degree in professional sales in 2015.

Damian Lillard's NBA Career

Portland Trail Blazers: Becoming a Star (2012–2023)

Rookie of the Year Season (2012–13)

Damian Lillard shoots over Draymond Green

Lillard attempts a jump shot over fellow rookie Draymond Green with the Trail Blazers in January 2013.

The Portland Trail Blazers picked Damian Lillard as the sixth overall player in the 2012 NBA draft. In his very first NBA game, he scored 23 points and had 11 assists. This made him one of only a few players in NBA history to have such a strong debut.

He set a new record for rookies by making seven 3-pointers in a game. Damian also won the Skills Challenge at the NBA All-Star Weekend. He was named Rookie of the Month every single month of the season! He led all rookies in scoring and assists. Damian won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award unanimously, meaning every voter chose him. He also broke the NBA rookie record for most 3-pointers made in a season.

First All-Star and Playoff Heroics (2013–14)

In his second season, Damian continued to shine. He scored a career-high 41 points in a game against the Sacramento Kings. During the All-Star weekend, he made history by taking part in five different events!

The Trail Blazers made it to the playoffs. In a thrilling game against the Houston Rockets, Damian made a game-winning 3-pointer as time ran out. This shot helped the Blazers win their first playoff series since 2000! At the end of the season, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

Leading the Team (2014–15)

Damian started all 82 games for the third year in a row. He scored a career-high 43 points in a triple-overtime win against the San Antonio Spurs. He was also chosen to play in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game. The Blazers made the playoffs again, but lost in the first round.

Franchise Player and Scoring Records (2015–16)

Lillard being defended by Russell Westbrook with the Trail Blazers in January 2016

In 2015, Damian signed a big contract extension with the Trail Blazers. He became the fastest NBA player to reach 600 career 3-pointers. He also became the fastest Blazer to get 1,500 assists.

On February 19, 2016, Damian scored a career-high 51 points against the Golden State Warriors. He was the first player in NBA history to have at least 50 points, seven assists, and six steals in a game. He had another 50-point game later that season. Damian finished the season averaging 25.1 points per game. The Blazers made the playoffs and won their first-round series before losing to the Warriors.

Continued Excellence (2016–17)

Damian kept breaking records in the 2016-17 season. He became the fastest Blazer to score 8,000 career points. On April 8, 2017, he scored a franchise-record 59 points against the Utah Jazz! This was his 27th game of the season with 30 or more points, a new team record.

He helped the Trail Blazers make a big comeback late in the season to reach the playoffs. They faced the Golden State Warriors again and lost the series. Damian received the Magic Johnson Award for being a great player and for how he interacts with the media and public.

All-NBA First Team (2017–18)

Lillard in 2018

In October 2017, Damian reached 9,000 career points, becoming the fastest Blazer to do so. He also moved up the team's all-time assists list. On February 9, 2018, he scored 50 points in just 29 minutes against the Sacramento Kings. This was his fourth 50-point game!

He averaged 31.4 points per game in February, the highest scoring average for any month in Portland history. Damian finished the season tied for fourth in scoring in the NBA. He was named to the All-NBA First Team, a huge honor, making him only the third player in Blazers history to achieve this.

Western Conference Finals Run (2018–19)

Lillard in 2019

Damian continued to set team records. He scored 41 points and made a franchise-record ten 3-pointers in a game against the Orlando Magic. He also became the fastest player in Portland history to reach 12,000 career points.

In the playoffs, Damian made a famous game-winning 3-pointer from very far away at the buzzer. This shot helped the Blazers eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder! He scored a playoff career-high 50 points in that game. The Blazers made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, which was a huge achievement for the team.

Amazing Scoring and Assists (2019–20)

On November 8, 2019, Damian scored a career-high 60 points! He later topped that with 61 points in a game against the Golden State Warriors. He even recorded his first career triple-double (scoring double digits in points, rebounds, and assists) in January 2020.

When the NBA season restarted in a "bubble" due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Damian was incredible. He scored 45 points and 12 assists in one game, and later another 51 points. On August 11, he scored 61 points again, tying his career high. This made him only the second player in NBA history (after Wilt Chamberlain) to have three 60-point games in a single season! He was named the NBA Player of the Seeding Games for his amazing performance.

NBA Teammate of the Year (2020–21)

Damian continued his clutch play, hitting a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer against the Chicago Bulls in January 2021. He also had 43 points and a career-high 16 assists in another game. He was named the NBA Teammate of the Year in 2021, showing he's not just a great player but also a great person to play with.

In the 2021 playoffs, Damian had an incredible game, scoring a playoff career-high 55 points and making an NBA playoff record 12 three-pointers! He hit two game-tying threes in double overtime, but his team still lost that tough game.

Injury and Comeback (2021–23)

Damian had surgery for an abdominal injury in January 2022 and missed the rest of the season. This was the first time the Blazers missed the playoffs since his rookie year.

He came back strong in the 2022-23 season, scoring 41 points in two of the first three games. He also became the Trail Blazers' all-time leading scorer, passing Clyde Drexler! On January 25, 2023, Damian scored 60 points, his fourth time reaching that mark. He also became the first player in NBA history with three games of at least 60 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

On February 26, 2023, Damian had an unbelievable game, scoring a career-high and Blazers franchise-record 71 points! He also made a career-high 13 three-pointers in that game. This made him only the eighth player in NBA history to score 70 or more points in a single game. He also won the NBA Three-Point Contest during the All-Star Weekend.

Milwaukee Bucks: New Chapter (2023–Present)

In September 2023, Damian Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He made an amazing debut for the Bucks, scoring 39 points, which was a franchise record for a player's first game.

He continued to break records with the Bucks. In December 2023, he made his 2,451st career three-pointer, moving him to 5th on the NBA's all-time list. He also passed 20,000 career points, joining an elite group of players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry who have reached 20,000 points, 5,000 assists, and 2,000 three-pointers.

In January 2024, Damian hit another game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. He was named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter for the first time. During the All-Star Weekend, he won the NBA Three-Point Contest again, becoming the first back-to-back winner in over a decade. He also won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award, scoring 39 points and making 11 three-pointers. He was the first player ever to win both the Three-Point Contest and the All-Star Game MVP in the same weekend! In March 2024, he passed Reggie Miller for 4th on the NBA's all-time three-point list.

In November 2024, Damian and the Bucks won the NBA Cup, a new tournament. Damian was also chosen for the All-Tournament team.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2012–13	Portland	82*	82*	38.6	.429	.368	.844	3.1	6.5	.9	.2	19.0
2013–14	Portland	82	82*	35.8	.424	.394	.871	3.5	5.6	.8	.3	20.7
2014–15	Portland	82	82*	35.7	.434	.343	.864	4.6	6.2	1.2	.3	21.0
2015–16	Portland	75	75	35.7	.419	.375	.892	4.0	6.8	.9	.4	25.1
2016–17	Portland	75	75	35.9	.444	.370	.895	4.9	5.9	.9	.3	27.0
2017–18	Portland	73	73	36.6	.439	.361	.916	4.5	6.6	1.1	.4	26.9
2018–19	Portland	80	80	35.5	.444	.369	.912	4.6	6.9	1.1	.4	25.8
2019–20	Portland	66	66	37.5*	.463	.401	.888	4.3	8.0	1.1	.3	30.0
2020–21	Portland	67	67	35.8	.451	.391	.928	4.2	7.5	.9	.3	28.8
2021–22	Portland	29	29	36.4	.402	.324	.878	4.1	7.3	.6	.4	24.0
2022–23	Portland	58	58	36.3	.463	.371	.914	4.8	7.3	.9	.3	32.2
2023–24	Milwaukee	73	73	35.3	.424	.354	.920	4.4	7.0	1.0	.2	24.3
Career		842	842	36.2	.438	.371	.897	4.2	6.7	1.0	.3	25.1
All-Star		7	1	20.4	.475	.424	1.000	2.9	2.9	1.0	.0	22.3

Play-in

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2020	Portland	1	1	44.9	.400	.357	1.000	2.0	10.0	1.0	.0	31.0
Career		1	1	44.9	.400	.357	1.000	2.0	10.0	1.0	.0	31.0

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2014	Portland	11	11	42.3	.439	.386	.894	5.1	6.5	1.0	.1	22.9
2015	Portland	5	5	40.2	.406	.161	.781	4.0	4.6	.4	.6	21.6
2016	Portland	11	11	39.8	.368	.393	.910	4.3	6.3	1.3	.3	26.5
2017	Portland	4	4	37.7	.433	.281	.960	4.5	3.3	1.3	.5	27.8
2018	Portland	4	4	40.6	.352	.300	.882	4.5	4.8	1.3	.0	18.5
2019	Portland	16	16	40.6	.418	.373	.833	4.8	6.6	1.7	.3	26.9
2020	Portland	4	4	35.6	.406	.394	.970	3.5	4.3	.5	.3	24.3
2021	Portland	6	6	41.3	.463	.449	.940	4.3	10.2	1.0	.7	34.3
2024	Milwaukee	4	4	39.1	.420	.417	.974	3.3	5.0	1.0	.0	31.3
Career		65	65	40.2	.412	.373	.894	4.4	6.2	1.2	.3	26.1

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008–09	Weber State	31	26	29.4	.434	.374	.841	3.9	2.9	1.1	.2	11.5
2009–10	Weber State	31	31	34.3	.431	.393	.853	4.0	3.6	1.1	.1	19.9
2010–11	Weber State	10	9	28.5	.438	.345	.857	3.8	3.3	1.4	.2	17.7
2011–12	Weber State	32	32	34.5	.467	.409	.887	5.0	4.0	1.5	.2	24.5
Career		104	98	32.3	.446	.390	.867	4.3	3.5	1.2	.2	18.6

Awards and Honors

NBA

8× NBA All-Star (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024)
NBA All-Star Game MVP (2024)
All-NBA First Team (2018)
4× All-NBA Second Team (2016, 2019, 2020, 2021)
2× All-NBA Third Team (2014, 2023)
NBA Player of the Seeding Games (2020)
NBA Rookie of the Year (2013)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2013)
2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2023, 2024)
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2019)
NBA Teammate of the Year (2021)
NBA Rising Star (2012, 2013)
2× NBA Skills Challenge champion (2013, 2014)
First NBA player ever to participate in 5 events in All Star Weekend (2014: Rising Stars Challenge: Dunk Contest, 3-point Contest, Skills Challenge winner, All Star Game)
NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021)

College

AP third-team All-American (2012)
NABC third-team All-American (2012)
2× Big Sky Conference Player of the Year (2010, 2012)
3× First-team All-Big Sky (2009, 2010, 2012)
2× Big Sky All-Tournament Team (2010, 2012)
Big Sky Freshman of the Year (2009)
No. 1 retired by Weber State

Damian Lillard's Life Off the Court

Personal Life and Family

Lillard posing with fans in July 2012

Damian wears jersey number 0. This number represents his journey from Oakland, to Ogden, and then to Oregon. He is a Christian and has a Bible verse tattooed on his arm.

Damian has a son named Damian Jr., and twins, a daughter named Kali and a son named Kalii. He cares about his community. He started a program called "RESPECT" to help high school students in the Portland area graduate.

Business and Music

Damian has signed big deals with companies like Adidas, Powerade, and Hulu. He even has his own line of Adidas shoes called "Adidas Dame." In 2020, he became a co-owner of a Toyota car dealership.

Damian is also a talented hip-hop artist and rapper known as Dame D.O.L.L.A. This name stands for "Different On Levels the Lord Allows." He started a social media trend called "Four Bar Friday," where people share short rap verses. He has released several albums, including The Letter O, Confirmed, and Big D.O.L.L.A.. He even has his own record label, Front Page Music. His song "Kobe" was featured in the video game NBA 2K21 as a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
Title	Album details	US	US Indie	US R&B/HH
The Letter O	Released: October 21, 2016 Label: Front Page Music Format: Digital download	119	13	7
Confirmed	Released: October 6, 2017 Label: Front Page Music Format: Digital download	—	18	—
Big D.O.L.L.A.	Released: August 9, 2019 Label: Front Page Music Format: Digital download	—	12	—
Different on Levels the Lord Allowed	Released: August 20, 2021 Label: Front Page Music Format: Digital download	—	—	—

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album name
Title	Year	Album
"Bigger Than Us" (featuring Paul Rey)	2015	Non-album single
"Run It Up" (featuring Lil Wayne)	2017	Confirmed
"Shot Clock" (featuring Dupre)		Non-album singles
"Bossed Up"
"Reign Reign Go Away"	2019
"Blacklist"	2020
"Goat Spirit" (featuring Raphael Saadiq)		Different on Levels the Lord Allowed
"Home Team" (featuring Dreebo)
"Kobe" (featuring Snoop Dogg and Derrick Milano)

As featured artist

List of singles as featured artist, showing year released and album name
Title	Year	Album
"I Wish I Could Tell You" (Brookfield Duece featuring Dame D.O.L.L.A.)	2015	Non-album single
"The Thesis" (Wynne featuring Vursatyl, Illmac, KayelaJ & Dame D.O.L.L.A.)	2019	If I May...
"Tappin Out" (Cool Nutz featuring Dame D.O.L.L.A. & Drae Steves)	2020	Father of Max
"We the Future" (Miles Brown featuring Dame D.O.L.L.A.)	2020	Non-album single
"Day 0" (Mirror featuring Dame D.O.L.L.A.)	2024	Non-album single

Filmography

Film roles
Year	Title	Role	Notes
2021	Space Jam: A New Legacy	Himself, Voice of Chronos

Damian Lillard facts for kids

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