Damian Lillard receives historic Adidas tribute with court named after him in Portland

The city of Portland won't easily forget the 11 seasons that Damian Lillard spent playing for the city's NBA team. Even though he's playing for the Milwaukee Bucks right now, on his first time back in the city, Adidas decided to surprise him.

Lillard has been with Adidas ever since he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012. As one of the biggest athletes in the modern NBA, the brand dedicated a company location for the All-Star guard.

Adidas named its Portland HQ’s gymnasium court after him. According to sources, this is the first time that the brand, in its 75-year history, has named a company location after an athlete. Given the history between Lillard, the city and the brand, it's a no-brainer to honor the All-Star guard.

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Lillard was welcomed by fans as he went to visit the brand's headquarters in Portland. It's his first time back in the city since getting traded during the offseason.

The former Blazers star talked to the crowd about how he felt about Adidas dedicating a gym after him.

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"I appreciate all y'all for showing up," Lillard said. "But I think what makes this fell the best for me, the thing that I appreciate the most is it's a lot of great athletes that have been with the brand... the fact that something like this is being done, I appreciate this.

"This is definitely a gesture that I'm moved by. I feel the respect, I feel the love."

During the offseason, the Bucks traded away Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and multiple future draft picks for Damian Lillard.

You might also be interested in reading this: "Fed up with Giannis already" - Damian Lillard getting honored by Adidas in Portland sparks rumors of his return to Trail Blazers

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Damian Lillard still has a lot of love for the Blazers

For the past decade, Damian Lillard was the superstar for the Blazers. He led the team to eight straight playoff appearances. However, the farthest the team has gone in the postseason is the Western Conference Finals back in the 2018-19 season.

Despite that, Lillard is still adored and acknowledged by the organization and the fans. As he returns to the city that watched him grow, the seven-time All-Star talked about his love for the city and the franchise.

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"I loved the organization. I loved everybody I went to work with every day. And I think what made it the hardest is it wasn’t a wasn’t a broken relationship. So coming back, being able to be here, I’m in a great situation," Lillard said.

Even if the team wasn't able to help Lillard win a championship, he's still loved by the people. During his time in Portland, he averaged 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists. He also won Rookie of the Year and earned multiple All-Star selections while playing for the Blazers.

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