Damian Lillard on NBA Restart Amid Social Unrest: 'It's a Battle Every Day'

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard said his attention may not be fully on basketball when the NBA season resumes in Orlando, Florida, next month. 

In an interview with GQ's Michael Pina, Lillard said it will be a "battle every day" to play games because the ongoing protests across the country are "so much more meaningful" than anything on the court:

"I can't speak for everybody but for me personally, I'm able to do my job more effectively when I'm in a good place personally. You know what I'm saying? And this is something that affects me personally. I'm one man. I make a lot of money as one man and I do things for a lot of people and my family. But I got a lot of people that live in Oakland and a lot of friends that are still in the neighborhood. I'm just connected to so many people that it's like, how can I be consumed with a basketball game?"

The 29-37 Blazers are one of the 22 teams that will take part in the NBA's return-to-play plan. They will be among the clubs vying for a playoff spot in the Western Conference during the seeding games.

Lillard said he's "happy" the Blazers are "getting a chance" to keep playing this season. They trail the Memphis Grizzlies by 3.5 games for the No. 8 seed.

Lillard has been a prominent presence at protests in Portland in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25.   

Over the course of his eight-year NBA career, Lillard has been outspoken on a number of social issues. He and his Blazers teammates wore "I Can't Breathe" shirts during warm-ups before a 2014 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in memory of Eric Garner, who was killed by police officers in New York.