NBA Draft 2012: Should the Portland Trail Blazers Select Damian Lillard?

Damian Lillard was a name that was not at all well known before this past season. Somehow, though, Lillard has vaulted himself into a likely lottery selection. Lillard's ability to shoot the ball is unbelievable, and he is often able to create his own shot off the dribble.

Coming out of tiny Weber State, he will finally get the recognition he deserves in the NBA. Lillard will be a high draft pick, but which team he will end up with remains to be seen. Most mock drafts have him falling somewhere between the No. 6 pick (Portland's likely selection) and the 13th overall pick.

Should Portland take a chance on him?

Why they should: Lillard is a point guard, which would fill one of the Blazers' biggest needs, and his ability to shoot and score would be welcomed in an offense which often can go cold from the field. As I previously mentioned, his ability to shoot the ball is unprecedented, and he has also displayed an ability to shoot the NBA-range three-pointer.

Fans in Portland would fall in love with his shooting and scoring ability, and also his ability to make things happen in transition.

Why they shouldn't: Lillard may be a point guard, but he is not a true point guard. Because of LaMarcus Aldridge's presence down low, the Blazers may opt to go after a player who is more of a floor general and skilled passer, such as Kendall Marshall. While Portland could use extra scoring desperately, they will most likely go after someone at the shooting guard position.

Additionally, Lillard has simply not played against the same type of competition that other prospects have. In his one game against a major NCAA tournament team last season, Lillard had arguably his worst game of the year with a 4 for 17 shooting performance against Cal back in December.

Taking all this into account, it's your turn to decide. Should the Blazers draft Damian Lillard?

Here is a highlight video of Damian Lillard in case you haven't seen his game before, which many people likely haven't.

Damian Lillard

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 190 lbs.

College: Weber State University

Stats (senior season): 24.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists