9-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard, who returned to the Portland Path Blazers final month, introduced on Saturday evening a second, official place as basic supervisor of the boys’s basketball program at his alma mater Weber State.
Lillard, 35, made the announcement in Ogden, Utah, the place he’s internet hosting the Weber State Basketball Alumni Basic.
“It is one thing that, my relationship with coach (Eric) Duft and this program means so much to me, and seeing the success of this system means so much to me,” Lillard mentioned these in attendance at Swenson Fitness center, in line with the Commonplace-Examiner in Ogden. “I really feel like I can do so much to assist this system achieve success, to assist the gamers even individually proceed to develop their careers previous faculty, that is one thing that I am keen about.”
The guard is anticipated to overlook the 2025-26 NBA season as he recovers from a torn left Achilles tendon whereas taking part in for the Milwaukee Bucks on April 27 that knocked him out of the remainder of the playoffs.
The Bucks waived him after the season and he re-signed with the Path Blazers for a reported three-year, $42 million contract.
Weber State issued a information launch on Saturday which mentioned Lillard will work carefully with the teaching employees and athletic division management “to offer perception, mentorship, and steering, utilizing his expertise on the collegiate {and professional} ranges to raise this system.”
Portland chosen Lillard with the sixth general choose of the 2012 NBA Draft. The purpose guard averaged 24.5 factors and shot 40.9 % on 3-point makes an attempt in 32 video games (all begins) as a senior within the 2011-12 season, when he was a third-team All-American.
Lillard averaged 18.6 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals whereas taking pictures 39 % from lengthy vary in 104 video games (98 begins) throughout a extremely embellished four-year faculty profession. He was the Huge Sky Participant of the Yr twice.
Lillard returned to Ogden and graduated in 2015. WSU retired his No. 1 jersey in 2017, and he was inducted into its athletics corridor of fame in 2021 and the Huge Sky Convention Corridor of Fame in 2022.
“As soon as once more, Damian Lillard exemplifies loyalty and dedication to his alma mater,” WSU President Brad Mortensen mentioned within the launch. “We’re so grateful for his continued management and instance he units for Wildcats previous, current, and future.”
The nine-time All-Star and 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the Yr has been chosen All-NBA seven occasions. Lillard owns profession averages of 25.1 factors, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 900 regular-season contests with Portland (2012-23) and Milwaukee (2023-25). His 2,804 3-pointers rank fourth in NBA historical past and his 22,598 factors rank eighth amongst lively gamers.
“Success would not come in a single day, particularly in in the present day’s ever-changing basketball panorama,” Lillard mentioned within the college’s information launch. “School athletics is continually evolving, and constructing a robust program requires time, belief, and dedication.
“I imagine in what this program represents and the tradition that continues to develop at Weber State,” Lillard continued. “The assist of our group is important to this system’s success, and I’m dedicated to taking part in a better function in that effort. This chance permits me to be much more concerned in shaping the way forward for Weber State basketball.”
–Area Degree Media/Reuters