The house is secluded and peaceful, a modern structure with large windows at the end of a long driveway. It was finished roughly a year ago, just before its owner, Damian Lillard, was traded from the Trail Blazers to the Bucks. Lillard returned as soon as the season ended and has been in the Portland area for most of the summer, keeping things, in his words, “really simple.”
Everything he needs is here, including a state-of-the-art gym, where we’ve set up to shoot the cover of SLAM 252. Behind one basket, stretching the entire length of the wall, is a blown-up image of Lillard’s series-clinching three-pointer against the Rockets in 2014; behind the other, the unforgettable shot that knocked out the Thunder in 2019. Other photos marking significant moments in Lillard’s life and career surround the court—of family and friends, of award ceremonies and celebrations, of dunks and game-winners. “All part of the story,” he says.
SLAM 252 featuring Damian Lillard is available now.
A year ago, Lillard wasn’t sure where the next chapter of that story would unfold. After requesting a trade in July, his summer plans had to be altered. He couldn’t play competitively—couldn’t train as rigorously as he likes to—knowing that an injury would compromise negotiations. He waited three months until the deal with Milwaukee was done, leaving him with just a few days to pack his bags and adjust to his new situation before training camp began. It was all so hectic.
This summer has been a refreshing change. Less business, more family. Less uncertainty, more peace. Less waiting, more action. Lillard has been able to focus on his training, embracing a holistic approach that includes a strict anti-inflammatory diet. He even spent four days in Las Vegas working out with retired Navy SEAL David Goggins.
As the 2024-25 season looms, Lillard is prepared in a way that wasn’t possible last September, both physically and mentally. Here, he reflects on the past year, his transition to Milwaukee, building chemistry with Giannis Antetokounmpo and much more.
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