Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard Goes Above and Beyond to Make Fan's Day

The Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard felt horrible when others wouldn't, and he went back to remedy an issue that few would.

Yahoo! Sports' Dan Devine spotted a Twitter back-and-forth between the NBA star and a fan who just wanted a picture with his favorite player. It all starts with this tweet from Lillard. 

Let's just say that Lillard is feeling guilty when he really shouldn't. He has a life outside of basketball and signs autographs when he can. While unfortunate, it's completely understandable. 

Well, Siros Ardestani saw the post and answered back after what we presume was a minor fan freak-out. 

Here is how the rest of the story unfolded, leading to a planned meeting for a personal photo session, and one Ardestani will never forget. 

Boom. 

It must be hard to be a celebrity. There is the glitzy side of fame that is accompanied by a ton of money, but there is also a downside. Just consider that you always have to be "on" with fans. 

In an age of Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, you almost have to deliberately hide a bad day or a grumpy demeanor, or else some fan will label you a jerk on their blog. It's exhausting, but some people get it. 

Damian Lillard gets it. 

The 23-year-old averaged 19 points and 6.5 assists per game in his first season in the NBA. It was a start that should have Portland fans optimistic about the future of their backcourt. 

It was also a turn that has a great many fans clamoring to get their paraphernalia signed and their pictures adorned with a cameo from the talented guard. 

We watch sports because they make us feel good, and we follow athletes who continue that sentiment off the court. 

It's important to remember that the sports world is a microcosm. There are some players who garner deplorable headlines, but there are also the extremely kindhearted who remind you that people are indeed great. 

A tip of the hat to Lillard for reminding us that athletes can be truly awesome. 

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