He “could never have dreamed” that he would be named one of the top 75 players in NBA history.

 

 

 

After nine seasons, Damian Lillard has cemented his place as one of the best players in Trail Blazers history. He may already be the best player to ever play in Rip City. But Lillard hadn’t quite reached the point in his career yet where he could be considered one of the best players in NBA history. Clyde Drexler and Bill Walton, the only other players in the discussion of who was the best player in franchise history, had already been named to the 50th anniversary team, which means they are among the best players in NBA history.

In honor of the NBA’s 75th anniversary, Lillard was named one of the league’s Top 75 players of all time on Thursday. The 6-3 point guard from Weber State averaged 24.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds over nine seasons. He is one of only 11 present NBA players to make the 75, and he is the only player from the Portland Trail Blazers’ history to be honored. Lillard has won a lot of awards during his time in Portland, including Rookie of the Year in 2013 and selection to six All-Star games and six All-NBA teams. In Portland’s first game of the 2021–22 season, he moved into the Top 100 all-time in scoring, but even he was surprised to learn that he had made the Top 75, which was decided by current and former players and media.

Lillard talked about being named to the 75th Anniversary Team and what he thinks it means for his reputation. He also talked about why he thinks he made the cut, joining Walton and Drexler on NBA all-time lists, and his place in franchise history.