Over the years, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has flown a little under the radar when it comes to All-Star selections. Stuck in the unforgiving Western conference, Lillard has been snubbed on more than one occasion. This year though, Lillard got the respect he deserved and earned his third All-Star nod after a two-year hiatus.
OKC Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook recently took what many believe to be a shot at Lillard when he vouched for his guy Paul George to be in the All-Star game. Obviously, Lillard got the spot over George but in the end, Dame was still disappointed in Westbrook’s comments. Following from ESPN’s Nick Friedell:
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard said it was “disappointing” to hear Russell Westbrook’s comments about the All-Star Game selections following Lillard’s addition to the roster and Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Paul George’s absence.
“I respect Russ a lot, so it was kind of disappointing to see him say that,” Lillard said prior to Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. “Because he’s played against me, he’s played against our team, he knows what I’ve accomplished. Not just this year, but over my career. So it was a little bit disappointing, but I know that I earned my spot this year. And that’s pretty much what it is: I earned my spot.”
It’s a little far-fetched for Damian Lillard to think Westbrook would find him more deserving than his own teammate who players on a better two-way level than the Weber State product does. Both are dynamic in their own right so it’s largely up to personal presence. It is also worth noting though that George is a sidekick while Lillard has almost full control over the Blazers offense.
Whether it had been Damian Lillard or Paul George in the All-Star game, both are equally top-tier talents in today’s game. With the new drafting process also implemented this year, it’ll be interesting to see how the star-studded weekend shakes out.
