“I want to be the MVP of the league, and I want to win the championship” - Damian Lillard says his best is yet to come
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard believes his best days are yet to come. The 31-year-old has been on the sidelines due to an abdominal injury. It was announced a few days ago that he would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery in January.
The Blazers announce Damian Lillard will miss the rest of the season. https://t.co/vq72vndq9z
Lillard has had a positive mindset during his recovery. He believes he can still achieve a lot when he comes back healthy next year. Here's what he told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes recently:
"My resume and who I am speaks for itself. I know that the best days for me have yet to come. So, I'm not looking at it like I got to come back and make them remember me."
"I know who I am. I know what I do. And when I get back on the floor, you know, that's gonna be that. I don't think it has to be some big message that I'm coming back to send."
Damian Lillard continued by highlighting his goals moving forward, saying:
"Like I said, my best is yet to come. And the only things that I play for at this point is I want to be the MVP of the league and I want to win the championship. And once I do those things, I feel great about the investment that I made to this game over my whole life."
"If I accomplish those two things, I'm walking away feeling like I literally got the most out of myself as an athlete.”
Despite the Trail Blazers struggling to form a legitimate title-contending team around him, Damian Lillard has made up his mind to stay with the franchise and win a championship in Portland. The team made some big moves at the trade deadline by letting go stars like CJ McCollum, Robert Covington and Norman Powell to create financial flexibility for next offseason.
They are looking to capitalize on Damian Lillard's desire to stay with the franchise, and it will be interesting to see how they execute their plans for next season.
A @YahooSports conversation with Portland Trail Blazers star @Dame_Lillard on rehab, family dynamic, team’s critical offseason, comfort level with team’s direction, and what to expect from him: 'The best days for me have yet to come.' sports.yahoo.com/damian-lillard…
Damian Lillard believes Portland Trail Blazers need to position themselves to compete for a championship.
The Portland Trail Blazers have managed to grab attention at the trade deadline with the departures of three starters in McCollum, Powell and Covington. They have given clear indications that they want to revamp their roster and surround Damian Lillard with pieces that could elevate them to championship status for next year.
Lillard himself is well aware of how critical the upcoming offseason will be for his team. However, the 31-year-old conceded that it won't be a championship or bust season for his side next year.
The six-time All-Star knows it will take time to get there, but he also mentioned that it's important for the Trail Blazers to position themselves well enough to be competing for a championship over the next few seasons. Here's what Lillard said regarding this:
"I don't think we’re in a situation where it's like, we have to win the championship next year, or it’s a failure, but we just need to position ourselves to compete for the championship and also to where we can continue to build in that direction."
"I think this is definitely critical, [a] critical summer where we have to capitalize," Damian Lillard told Yahoo Sports.
It is going to be a busy summer for Damian Lillard and Co. The Portland Trail Blazers aren't an attractive destination for free agents, but the direction they are heading in might interest players who are elevating into superstar status.
Lillard seems more determined than ever, and it will be exciting to see how far he can push the franchise over the next few seasons.