It’s been a rocky start for Damian Lillard in Milwaukee. Their defense has been subpar for most of the season. That led to them firing Adrian Griffin midway through the season. They then hired Doc Rivers to replace him, but let’s not act like the Bucks’ struggles are due to Lillard.
Friendships take a long time to build. Dame is not going to be best friends with his teammates just 3-4 months after arriving in Milwaukee. He’s had a lot of change in a short amount of time.
“Being away from my kids is tough,” Lillard told Chris Mannix of SI. “In Portland, my life was set up. My mom was down the street; my brother was the other way down the street. My sister was down the street. My kids in school. Just my whole life was set up perfectly right there. It was a great situation. So just leaving that behind alone is a lot. And then you add the basketball side to it and that is what it is.”
A lot of people would be thrilled to be in that situation. It would be perfect in every way possible. Many may poke fun at him for stating what he has but to be honest it’s mature of him. He’s being as real as he can, something that Lillard has always prided himself on.
“Seriously, I don’t have much of a life,” Lillard continued. “But that’s what comes with making a big-boy decision. You got to be down for that and figure it out. It’s definitely lonely because I’m such a family guy. My life is my family … So I would come out, we would go to dinner. They might come to my house. After practice, I might go to my mom’s house and just chill. That’s how my life was. I’m fine because I’m grown. But it’s definitely lonely. I’m filled up by those people.”
Now with him in Milwaukee, that stuff can’t happen very often for Lillard. His comfort zone was in Portland, not only did he have his family and the Blazers but he had the Damian Lillard Toyota in McMinnville. His life was very successful in Oregon, which is why he wants to live there after his playing days are over.
Bro, go to practice, go home, watch boxing, play video games,” Lillard stated on how life is in Milwaukee. “Man, I type in [boxing website] FightHype on YouTube 100 times and be praying for something new to be on there. Seriously, I don’t have much of a life. But that’s what comes with making a big boy decision. You got to be down for that and figure it out.
All things considered, Dame is off to a good start on the court in Milwaukee. While things off-court may not be ideal, it’s part of the consequences that need to be made to win a championship.
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