"To be alongside the best player in the league" - Damian Lillard's first words as a Milwaukee Buck echoes Wisconsin fans' sentiments
Damian Lillard is excited to take to the floor with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The newest Milwaukee Buck has finally received a chance to compete for a title with a proven team. Lillard will also team up with an MVP-caliber teammate for the first time in his NBA career.
"Dame Dolla" reflected on this chance during his first interview as a Bucks player on Monday's (Oct 2) media day. He started by thanking the city of Portland before describing the feeling of being traded for the first time and his aspirations.
"I couldn't be more excited and couldn't be more thankful for this opportunity, to be a part of of this organization. To be alongside the best player in the league ... It's going to be fun."
Lillard and Antetokounmpo could arguably be the best duo in the league. Their skill sets complement each other, with the former being an elite perimeter shooter, while the latter a force to be reckoned with attacking the rim.
The Bucks' stock as championship favorites received a significant boost upon Lillard's arrival. His pairing with the "Greek Freak" could be the equivalent of one of the NBA's most famous one-two punches, Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The duo notably led Milwaukee to its first title in 1971.
Damian Lillard seemingly embracing Bucks trade despite preference to land with Heat
The Damian Lillard trade saga was dominated by claims that his preferred landing spot was Miami. Some rumors even suggested that he wouldn't report to training camp if traded elsewhere.
However, with the Heat and Blazers failing to negotiate on a deal, Lillard seemingly accepted his fate before his move to the Bucks was sealed.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Lillard was open to playing for Milwaukee and the Brooklyn Nets after talks between Portland and Miami headed nowhere.
"Yet once Lillard was convinced that the Heat possibility was virtually impossible, sources briefed on discussions say he became open to the prospect of playing for the Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets," said Charania.
"The backchannel blessings commenced. [Lillard's agent Aaron] Goodwin, sources briefed on the talks say, communicated Lillard's interest to those teams as a way of paving the way for a possible deal."
There's not much room to complain here for Damian Lillard anyway, with Milwaukee being a perennial contender over the last few seasons. Some may say he has a better shot at winning his first ring with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. compared to their rivals from South Beach.