After spending 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, standout guard Damian Lillard found himself traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, a transition he admits has been challenging, particularly on a mental level.
Reflecting on his relocation, Lillard opened up about missing the proximity of his family, children, and friends, who were all part of his support network during his tenure in Portland.
“Being away from my kids is tough. In Portland, my life was set up perfectly. My mom, brother, and sister were nearby, my kids were in school. Everything just fell into place right there,” Lillard shared in an interview with Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “It was an ideal situation. So leaving all that behind is a big adjustment. And when you factor in the basketball side of things, it’s even more challenging.”
When asked if the change felt lonely, Lillard acknowledged it.
“It’s definitely lonely because family is everything to me,” Lillard confessed.
“After games, I’d come out and my whole family would be there. My kids would be coming out of the playroom, my mom, brother, cousins—they all lived there, you know? My closest friends were in Portland. So, I’d come out, we’d grab dinner, maybe hang out at my place. After practice, I might swing by my mom’s house and just relax. That was my routine. So, yeah, it’s lonely now. Those people filled up my life.”
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His new life in Milwaukee isn’t exactly filling him with joy.
“Basically, it’s practice, home, watch boxing, play video games. I’ve searched ‘FightHype’ on YouTube a hundred times, hoping for something new. Seriously, I don’t have much going on. But that’s part of making a grown-up decision. You have to deal with it and find your way,” Lillard explained.
Meanwhile, the Bucks are undergoing changes in coaching and experiencing shifts in performance and results since the arrival of head coach Doc Rivers, despite praise from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Considering these circumstances, Lillard believes he made the right choice to change scenery at this stage in his career. With more experience under his belt, he feels better equipped to handle it than he would have earlier in his career.
“I know there’s going to be criticism, questions like ‘Why isn’t Dame performing?’ That’s why I think this change happened at the perfect time in my career. I can handle it and understand the process, so I’m sticking with it. Adversity hits everyone, especially toward the end of your career. It’s about who can weather the storm and stay true,” concluded Lillard.
