Blazers’ Damian Lillard Already Emerging As Mentor to Rival Rookie

The Portland Trail Blazers became the feel-good story of the NBA summer when they signed injured former superstar point guard Damian Lillard to a three-year, $41.6 million free agent deal.

The 6-foot-2 Weber State product, now 35, had torn his Achilles tendon while with the Milwaukee Bucks during an ill-fated first-round playoff series loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Milwaukee shocked the basketball world by stretching and waiving Lillard's final $112.6 million owed over the next two seasons. It will now pay out the point guard $22.5 million annually to play elsewhere.

Lillard will likely miss the entire 2025-26 season recovering from what could be a permanently career-altering injury.

This will give him plenty of time to explore other things, including a new role as the men's basketball general manager for his alma mater.

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It appears Lillard, who will be leaned on to provide leadership to high-upside young Trail Blazers guards Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, has already been serving as a mentor to the next backcourt generation behind-the-scenes.

During an appearance on his new All-Star teammate Paul George's show "Podcast P," Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard V.J. Edgecombe recently revealed that Lillard had been advising him for years as he navigated first the NCAA and now the NBA.

“Bad first game," Edgecombe said of his collegiate debut with the Baylor Bears at the start of the 2024-25 NCAA season.

That's an understatement.

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In 29 minutes of action, Edgecombe scored just four points and dished out a scant one assist (against three turnovers). Following the game, though, Lillard offered major words of encouragement.

"He was like, ‘Bro, you know what you can do. You can’t let one game carry on for the next couple games because in college you only get so much.’ I just took that advice and ran with it. Forgot about the first game. Ever since me and him have been locked in. That’s my dog.”

He got better. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 15.0 points on .436/.340/.782 shooting splits, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.6 blocks in 33 healthy games for the 20-15 Bears.

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