Damian Lillard has played at an All-Star level throughout his six-year NBA career, whether named to the official All-Star Game roster or not. His performance in the 2018 mid-season showcase in was spectacular, scoring 21 points in 21 minutes as co-leading-scorer of Team Stephen. But as Eric Woodyard of the Desert News points out, Lillard’s rise to stardom is hardly a surprise, given the work that’s gone into it and the respect he’s earned from his NBA peers.
In a lengthy article published on Sunday, Woodyard quotes Lillard’s admirers from around the basketball world, starting with Johnnie Bryant, Utah Jazz assistant coach and friend to Lillard in his younger days.