Former Weber State Star Damian Lillard Shares Inspiring Message After 50-Point Game

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Former Weber State and current Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard shared an inspiring message after a 50-point performance.

Lillard and the Blazers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 125-124 on Tuesday, March 16.

The NBA All-Star dropped 50 points in the contest and made game-winning free throws with 1.2 seconds left.

After the game, Lillard shared a message of hard work, humility, and sacrifice during a postgame interview with TNT.

“None of those things that you just named would be possible without the work, and you know, I wasn’t a highly touted Middle School player, high school player or college player, you know, I had to do my work behind the scenes,” Lillard said. “I had to earn my way. And I didn’t know that I was going to ever get the credit for it or ever get the results for it. So I know what it’s like to be unknown and to, you know, not have the lights on you and to want to be seen and want a scholarship to a big school and things like that. I was behind the scenes doing the work so I don’t forget those steps that it took for me to get here.”

"I know what it's like to be unknown and to not have the lights on you and to want to be seen …"

This was incredible from @Dame_Lillard 👏 pic.twitter.com/AXNEZt4A9m

— ESPN (@espn) March 17, 2021

“Even though I got a family and I got all these commercials and, you know, these endorsements, I don’t forget the thing that makes all of those things possible, which is the work, the discipline, the humility, the compassion,” Lillard continued. “All of those things that I know I bring as a person I know that’s a part of why I’ve been able to get a lot of the things that I’ve gotten. So if I get away from doing what got me here, I’m doing my family and everybody else around me a disservice. So I make sure that I stay true to that verse. And the more that I do that, you know, things just keep coming. And I’ve gotten results from that my whole life, so why would I become 30, and see the results that I got and go away from it, you know. So I’ve gotten stronger in those things. I’ve gotten more disciplined. I work harder. I work smarter. You know, I love my people harder. I do all those things at a higher level. And it just keeps improving everything for me.”

BANG!

DAME TIME ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/QmgOpn5hmI

— ESPN (@espn) March 4, 2021

Damian Lillard’s Career

Despite not receiving attention by college basketball’s bigger programs, Lillard received a scholarship from Weber State. He played for the Wildcats from 2008-12. During his time in Ogden, he became one of the nation’s most prolific scorers and finished his college career with 1,934 points.

In 2017, Weber State honored Lillard by retiring his jersey.

After his senior season, he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 6th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Lillard won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award following his first season in the league.

Currently, he is one of the top-scoring threats in the NBA. He’s been named an NBA All-Star six times.