Damian Lillard Accused of Watching 2 Fans Get Beat Up for Taking His Picture

Two brothers, Jermaine and Philip Ulinwa, who were beat up in Portland early Saturday morning are accusing Damian Lillard's entourage of the crime.

According to KGW News' Pat Dooris, the brothers took a picture of the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year on the street. Lillard reportedly took offense to having his picture taken, and after a short argument, a group of people—described by the brothers as Lillard's entourage—began beating up the two men:

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Two brothers accuse NBA Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard of standing by while his entourage beat the brothers up early Saturday morning in Portland’s Old Town district. According to police, the incident happened around 2:30 a.m. on May 18.

One brother told KGW the beating happened as a result of a picture that he snapped with his cell phone after he spotted the basketball star walking toward a parking lot with several other people.

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Here is a look at the picture that supposedly initiated the fight:

After Jermaine took the picture, Lillard allegedly became noticeably upset, and according to Philip, Lillard "instigated" the fight when he yelled and moved toward them.   

Although Lillard didn't participate in the physical altercation, his anger, says Philip, "riled up" the other men, who broke Philip's nose with repeated punches and kicks.  

Nevertheless, according to Dooris' report, a spokesman for the Portland Trailblazers stated that none of the team's players are considered suspects, and a Portland police officer confirmed that statement.

The officer also went on to say that it was still unknown how the group of assailants are related to Lillard—if they are at all. 

Without knowing the full extent of what exactly happened, it's impossible to realistically place blame.

As one of the brightest young stars in the NBA, Lillard, who didn't appear to respond well to the late-night attention based on this report, is only going to earn more fame and attention as he continues his burgeoning NBA career. 

His exposure will continue to increase, and as such, avoiding situations like these will be of the utmost importance. 

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