LOS ANGELES – Damian Lillard sat on the sideline of a UCLA gym, watching his new Milwaukee Bucks teammates do a one-on-one drill. Whoever scored or got a stop remained on the court, with guys cycling through with each possession.
Things got competitive, with Giannis Antetokounmpo stripping the ball from Chris Livingston on one play, as Livingston fell backwards onto the floor.
For Lillard, watching a two-time MVP pour himself into a drill against a rookie was confirmation of something he has recently realized.
“I think this is the best basketball situation for me,” Lillard told FOX Sports last week.
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That’s a striking statement from Lillard, who expressed a strong desire to play only for the Miami Heat when he requested in July to be traded from the Portland Trail Blazers, with whom he spent all 11 seasons of his career. Instead, he was dealt to Milwaukee on Sept. 27.
While the Bucks may not have been his first choice, he now believes they were his best option.
In fact, when asked if he believes he would’ve had a better chance of winning a championship with Miami or Milwaukee, he didn’t hesitate.
“The depth is what makes me think this is my best chance to win,” Lillard told FOX Sports. “We’ve just got to be healthy. And we’ve got to be together.”
And with Antetokounmpo agreeing to a massive contract extension on Monday, the Bucks appear poised to give this new partnership every opportunity to achieve the ultimate goal.
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Lillard has mixed emotions when he thinks about his time in Portland.
There’s a lot of love.
It’s where he was drafted sixth overall in 2012. It’s where he became a seven-time All-Star and one of the NBA‘s Top 75 Players of All-Time. It’s where “Dame Time” became famous. And it’s where he transformed into a hero for an adoring fan base.
But there’s also a sour taste in his mouth.
He never had enough talent around him to compete for a title with the Trail Blazers. And following over a decade of loyalty, his communication with the front office broke down when it became clear that they weren’t going to honor his wish to be sent to Miami.
[Damian Lillard to Bucks: Grading and debating the massive three-team trade]
Lillard was one of two superstars to request a trade this summer, along with Philadelphia’s James Harden, who remains with the 76ers despite making it clear he wants to play for the LA Clippers.
While Harden says his once-close relationship with 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is fractured beyond repair, Lillard said his feelings toward the Blazers front office is more nuanced. The Bucks open their season at home Thursday against the 76ers (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT).
“My situation is not the same as James’ situation,” Lillard told FOX Sports. “…I don’t have any anger or anything like that toward anybody. I feel very free. I’m stepping into a new thing. I feel free. I’m happy to be here. I’m excited to be on a good team with a real opportunity to win a championship.
“And I also think because of how everything happened, there are some relationships that won’t be the same. But I don’t think that there are hard feelings, if that makes sense.”
[Emotion vs. Analytics: Why James Harden and Daryl Morey were always destined to implode]
This much is certain: Lillard is ready to look forward.
He believes this Bucks team could go all the way. And he knows he and Antetokounmpo have the potential to be one of the top duos in the league.
Lillard is a 3-point sniper and the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo is a freight train. Together, they create matchup nightmares for defenses. They can score from pretty much every square inch past halfcourt, a daunting notion for the rest of the league.
“It’s a hell of a combo, hell of a one-two punch,” said Lakers coach Darvin Ham, who was an assistant in Milwaukee for four seasons before taking the Los Angeles gig in 2022. “Best of luck to everybody else, the other 28 teams aside from ourselves that have to figure out a way to try to stop that. I’m just happy we only see them twice in the regular season.”
Count the Heat among the teams that aren’t happy about the new Bucks superteam.
After news broke that Lillard landed in Milwaukee instead of Miami, Heat superstar Jimmy Butler posted a video on Instagram voicing his displeasure. “Yo, NBA, man, you need to look into the Bucks for tampering,” Butler said.
Butler had hoped he’d be celebrating playing alongside one of the best guards in the NBA; instead, he was mourning having to face a tougher team in his own conference.
Lillard said he and Butler spoke privately after everything went down. When asked what was discussed, Lillard stressed their deep admiration for one another.
“We’ve always been in some form of contact with each other,” Lillard told FOX Sports. “And I said it, initially I was like, ‘I want to go to Miami.’ He was a big part of that. It didn’t happen. I’m here now. But our relationship will be the same. The same respect. It’s just something that didn’t happen. It was out of his control and mine.”
So, Lillard has turned his attention forward.
As for his first conversation with Antetokounmpo following the trade? It was quick and to the point.
“It was just like, ‘Let’s do this,'” Lillard told FOX Sports. “He’s not a barky type of dude in an everyday type of conversation. He was just like, ‘Let’s get it done.’ That was my same thoughts and feelings.”
Why Damian Lillard makes Bucks favorites to win NBA Finals
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After their first game together, it’s not an exaggeration to say Antetokounmpo appeared awestruck by Lillard.
It was a meaningless preseason contest in mid-October, but Antetokounmpo couldn’t believe how much the game had already changed for him.
“I’ll be very honest,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’ve never been this open. … I’ve never seen anybody being double-teamed from the first possession of the game.”
When two mega-superstars join forces, sometimes it works. And sometimes it really doesn’t. It’s a risk. There are big egos at play, as well as differences in styles, leadership and approaches.
But the Bucks believe they’ve unlocked a combination that could have limitless potential.
“They’re both high-character individuals who are willing to do whatever it takes to win,” first-year Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said.
Added Antetokounmpo: “He’s like a little version of me, a guard version. Just quiet, goes about his business, takes care of his family. Shows up, practices really hard, helps his teammates. When he needs to be vocal, he’s vocal. When he doesn’t want to be vocal, he doesn’t say much. And when the game starts, he’s just a killer.”
The Bucks insist it will take time for Lillard and Antetokounmpo to learn how to play with each other. They don’t want to rush the process.
But it’s no secret that this could profoundly change things for a franchise that won a championship in 2021, but has had major letdowns the last two seasons, including stunningly falling as the top seed in the first round of the playoffs in April to the eighth-seeded Heat.
After that collapse, Antetokounmpo seemingly had one foot out the door.
He told the New York Times in August that his future with the Bucks was uncertain if he didn’t believe they had a chance of winning. “If I don’t feel that, I’m not signing,” he said, a strong statement for someone who had a player option after the 2024-25 season and could become a free agent.
Then, they acquired Lillard.
After just a few weeks with his new co-star, Antetokounmpo agreed to a three-year, $186 million maximum contract extension on Monday.
[Why Giannis Antetokounmpo committed to the Bucks now instead of next summer]
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Lillard knows he has a glaring hole on his resume.
He’s widely considered one of the most clutch players of all-time. There have been so many thrilling fourth-quarter comebacks, jaw-dropping buzzer-beaters and outrageous scoring explosions.
But he wants to be known for more.
“I think I just gotta prove that I can be a champion,” Lillard told FOX Sports. “You know, be out front for a championship team. And that’s it. I don’t think I have to prove it. I just think that’s what’s left to prove.”
Following all the drama of the last several months, Lillard is ready to pour himself into trying to realize that goal.
He may not have landed at his dream destination, one of the most alluring NBA cities known for its turquoise waters and opulence. Instead, he finds himself in a city famous for its blue-collar roots – and he’s embracing the hard work ahead.
“We know this is not going to be an easy thing,” Lillard told FOX Sports. “We know this is going to take some work. We’ve got to get sh– done. I think that’s what [Antetokounmpo and I] both feel.”
Expectations are already sky-high.
[Way-too-early predictions for NBA MVP, Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player]
The Bucks are tied as the betting favorites to win the title, alongside the Boston Celtics.
Antetokounmpo said he has been struck by his new teammate’s work ethic, selflessness and skills. He believes Lillard has already shown a hunger that mirrors his own. In fact, he said he can’t ever imagine them having an issue.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to be mad at Dame,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think what he brings to the game is so much. What he does for this team is so much that you can’t ever be upset.”
It’s early and the season is long. But what’s clear is that despite the serpentine road that led to this moment, both stars are thrilled by the possibilities ahead.
For Lillard, this could change everything.
He could finally become a champion.
“I’m proud of what my legacy would be with or without it,” he said. “But I want it bad.”
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
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