Is Damian Lillard the best ambassador the Blazers have ever had?

I've been thinking about this since last night:

For the most part, he has stayed out of the negative light (and even the negative light hasn't been too harsh)

In the first couple years, he always came off smug to me. Dont know why. But the last year, year and a half he's shown such poise that I may have mistaken for smugness. Watch him during interviews. Most players look away from the reporter(s) and just talk while staring at some random object in the room. Dame will divide his time, and look at each reporter that has asked him a question. (look at last night's for example). He even does this on losses.

You hardly hear negative press about him, his contract has no clauses, he's Portland through and through. Have we ever had a guy who had a work ethic such as him and the superstar quality along with it?

To me, current or past Blazers, he's been the best ambassador for this city and team. Though, Kersey to me comes close to him!

 

Bonzi came pretty close. As a note, my phone tried to autocorrect Bonzi into Bozo. Smart phone indeed. ......

 

I think a good follow up question is: Have we ever had a LEADER like Dame? Everyone seems to rave about him as a player/leader/person. I mean, he is as unselfish as they come.

My favorite Blazer of all time already. Damian Lillard.

 

Jerome Kersey is in the conversation but at a different sort of level.....he didn't drink like a fish

 

It's also because we're in the age of social media, there's just more ways for guys to gain exposure.

 

They need a 35 ft 3pt contest at the allstar game...Dame would own that competition

 

He has been amazingly committed to his charity and volunteer work too. He's not just a special player, he's a special human being. Dwight James has even talked about how much Dame works to benefit the Portland community.

 

I'd say yes because he's all over social media, has a big shoe deal, is in lots of commercials, does great things for the community, and is an amazing team leader. He's the perfect role model.
Clyde etc didnt have social media to boost their national exposure.

 

Absolutely! All that he does for the community, and a great leader and teammate. Sure social media plays a part in us being privy to more than we would have in the past, but there's another side to being the "ambassador" that he is, and that is the respect and attention he has amongst his peers around the league. I truly believe that Portland has its greatest chance ever at landing a marquee free agent with Dame at the reigns.

 

Social media also has the greatest capacity to tear someone down... so while we think it's easier to be "championed" by it, you can also be villified just as quickly... so that should be seen as a positive, not a negative for Damian.

 

I think he is a guy we can look back at in 20 some odd years and really appreciate. I hope he stays here his whole career and ends up working for the organization.

I just hope he ends up a great recruiter too.

 

Maybe. I think you're forgetting Curry, though.

 

Unquestionably.

Thanks Billy!!

 

Maybe Jamal Crawford as well.

 

Oh and Mad props to the Kings for picking TRob over him!

 

He sure lost this year though

 

I am pretty sure they drafted Trob because they didn't want to pay Jason Thompson big money and they were going to need another pf. I love teams who have incompetent front offices.

 

I think Brian Grant, Maurice Lucas, and maybe Buck Williams are the closest comparisons. It's interesting that it's all the rugged PF types. You could even go a bit further down the list with the likes of Mark Bryant and Caldwell Jones, although you can't really be a notable ambassador as a role player. Elite guards are usually prima donnas, which makes Lillard quite rare.