Damian Lillard Is Next in Line to Climb the NBA's Point Guard Ladder
When it comes to Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, superlatives are hardly superfluous. The 24-year-old has unequivocally earned the right to traits like "clutch" and "All-Star" entering his third NBA season, and while "superstar" is a title that's always up for debate, there's no denying the youngster is knocking on the door of the game's best floor generals.
While player rankings are almost always subjective in nature, ESPN's Bradford Doolittle (subscription required) has created his preseason hierarchy of point guards based on projected Wins Above Replacement Player (WARP). Consider Lillard's spot on the list:
- Chris Paul
- Russell Westbrook
- Stephen Curry
- John Wall
- Kyrie Irving
- Kyle Lowry
- Damian Lillard
- Mike Conley
- Ricky Rubio
- Ty Lawson
Looking at the names above, a few things come to mind. For one, only Kyrie Irving, Ricky Rubio and John Wall are younger than Lillard. The three are 22, 23 and 24, respectively, with the Blazers guard just a couple of months older than the Washington Wizards point man.
The next thought—not completely unrelated to the first—is that the only direction Lillard is moving on this list is up. With no disrespect to a guy like Mike Conley, whose personal efficiency rating (PER) was higher than Lillard's in 2013-14, according to ESPN.com, we shouldn't anticipate a surprise leap in his eighth season.
Similarly for Ricky Rubio and Ty Lawson—although there's still room for both to grow—we've yet to see from them the kind of production and team impact Lillard has displayed two years into his career.
The final thought that comes to mind isn't who's behind Lillard in the rankings, but who's ahead of him. It's an elite list of NBA point guards vying for the No. 1 spot, and that's including notable omissions like Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Tony Parker and Goran Dragic.
Keeping that in mind, it's important to note that the point guard position is as stacked as it's quite possibly ever been, but Lillard isn't merely competing against the top floor generals. He's part of the reason the position has become so competitive, and the question has to be: How does he stack up against the top players at this point in the process?
Admittedly, Lillard is a step behind in a few categories. For starters, defense must improve.
According to 82games.com, Lillard gave up a PER (per 48 minutes) of 17.2 to opponents as a sophomore. Even the eye test is tough to defend, as it's clear watching him that pick-and-roll defense has been problematic.
Additionally, as elite as he is at putting the ball in the basket, finishing inside the three-point line needs to be more consistent based off his 42.4 percent field-goal shooting. The team also wouldn't mind seeing a few more assists per contest, as his average of 5.6 last season was a dip from his Rookie of the Year campaign.
The good news here is that these deficiencies mean Lillard, an All-Star just two years into his career, can improve upon his already-established star status. Last year he ranked third in scoring (among point guards), third in three-pointers (among all players) and fifth in clutch points* (among all players).
If he can improve the necessary categories without sacrificing buckets, he'll begin to officially scratch the surface of his ceiling.
On top of all else, being a star means standing out on a grander scale than the rest. Individual production is a must, but stardom is enhanced when you can win games.
As an added bonus, marketing yourself successfully can sway opinions your direction; as it turns out, Lillard's got that covered.
"Lillard might have 3rd-biggest shoe deal in league now. Stars can get star things in small/mid-markets— if team wins. http://t.co/LaEUAvGLzc
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) April 14, 2014"
Not only did the Blazers guard help Portland get to the second round of the playoffs last season for the first time in 14 years, but he's become one of the most marketable players in an incredibly star-driven league.
Remember when he starred alongside John Wall and Jrue Holiday in Adidas' #quickaintfair campaign? Or how about when he stole Dave Franco's girlfriend in a promo for Madden 15?
Then there's the "Boost or Bust" commercial he did with CNN's Rachel Nichols, as well as the cover of NBA Live 15.
Lillard even found himself alongside a few legendary sports figures in a Foot Locker commercial, and if none of these appearances matter to you, he also became the first player in league history this past season to perform in all five major events at All-Star Weekend.
All that considered, don't think Lillard lucked into this celebrity status because he's a world-class actor. His leap toward stardom begins on the court, and it's fitting that he'll be tested in a showcase against Russell Westbrook in Portland's season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Although surpassing stars at the point guard position is an onerous task, Lillard is accustomed to proving he's worthy of high recognition. As a senior in high school, he was rated by Rivals.com as a 2-star prospect, and when no big programs came calling, he dominated his way to the NBA through four years at Weber State.
Moral of the story: Lillard isn't content. With his status creeping near the top five at his position, it's unlikely we see him let off the gas, as the first two years have seemingly been a taste of what's to come.
After all, don't forget what the then-sophomore said following his series-clinching three-pointer against the Houston Rockets in the 2014 playoffs.
"It's definitely the biggest shot of my life," Lillard said, per The Oregonian's Sean Meagher.
But he couldn't let that sentence go without one last peek ahead.
"So far."
*"Clutch Points" are courtesy of Stats.NBA.com and are defined as points scored when the game is within five points and there are five minutes or less remaining on the clock.
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