Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard acknowledges the crowd during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz in Portland, Oregon, Saturday, April 8, 2017. Lillard scored a franchise-record 59 points as the Blazers won 101-86. We in(AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
The trend of creating “super teams” or NBA superstars forming an alliance remains to be the fastest way to a championship in today’s game.
But as far as Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is concerned, he won’t go to such lengths in pursuit of the Larry O’Brien trophy.
In an appearance on Complex’s “Everyday Struggle” show, the two-time NBA All-Star revealed that he’d rather “not win a championship” than join the other superstar-caliber players from other teams.
Lillard first pointed out his former teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who decided to jump ship and join the perennial contenders San Antonio Spurs in 2015, in an attempt to win a ring.
“I mean, like I said about [LaMarcus Aldridge], I wouldn’t have done it. For me, I’m not joining nobody,” he said.
When asked if he would entertain the idea of playing with LeBron James, the 2013 NBA Rookie of the year kept his stance.
“Like I said, I’m not joining nobody. I would not win a Championship before I go and team up and do all that,” he said. “Unless it was like something that I couldn’t control. But I wouldn’tve did that.”
With his prime years still ahead of him, Lillard was asked if he’d change his stance once he gets up in age.
Still, the Weber State product held his ground and made it known he won’t join any “super team” anytime soon.
“I’m saying this because this is how I feel, not how I feel at the moment. That’s just how I feel about it,” he explained.
“I think if that’s what somebody wants to do, I’m not mad at them for doing it. I’m just telling you what I’m not going to do. That ain’t how we get down” Khristian Ibarrola /ra