The Battle Between Loyalty and Legacy: Damian Lillard and the Perils of Ring Culture in the NBA

As the future of the Blazer point guard remains unknown, the conversation over his loyalty to the franchise that has drafted him has morphed into platitudes about legacy

Being a superstar player in the NBA is an interesting exercise in mental gymnastics. First and foremost there is a lot of pressure. Pressure from the city you play in and the fans that buy your jersey, from analysts that expect you to be the next big thing, and from your hometown to make them proud. When you are drafted into a new city, you will often become an integral part of the community, where you will do some work to win the people over. And the city will love you…until they don’t. Whether it is by demanding a trade in your prime to a more desirable location or staying with the team that drafted you and being perceived as holding them back.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is a prime example of a superstar that has stayed with the team that drafted him well into his prime. If you asked the average NBA fan to associate one word with Lillard, there is a good chance that word would be “loyalty’. Dame has been adamant that he wants to win in Portland, and for much of his career he has been praised. But in recent years many have started to look at this same dedication to the…