The year is 2011. The Miami Heat are coming off a humiliating loss in the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks in the first year of their ‘big three’ with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The lockout has delayed the start of the new season. Somewhere in Utah, a mid-major guard named Damian Lillard is beginning his senior season, and there’s suddenly a big rush of interest from NBA draft scouts.
Weeks before the new NBA season would begin on Christmas, Lillard fired off a tweet that is hilarious today. More than a decade later, we know Lillard would go on to be named a top-75 player in NBA history, become arguably the best Portland Trail Blazer of all-time, and would spent most of his career insisting he’s not “running from the grind” before finally requesting a trade to the Heat in the summer of 2023.
How young and naive we all were back in late 2011. With momentum reportedly building to finally end Lillard’s trade request, this old tweet has been circulating again, and it’s so funny to look back on with the benefit of hindsight.
I am a heat fan lol but im not a fan of everyone trying to make their own big 3 lol. Not good for the league
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) December 10, 2011
Lillard saying he doesn’t like “everyone trying to make their own big three” is so fitting. Dame would eventually spend several years rejecting the idea that he needed to leave Portland to chase his first championship ring … at least until he fully lost faith in the organization, and asked for a deal to Miami.
Lillard wants to go to Miami in part so he can be part of a ‘big three’ alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Dame might not like the idea of taking the easy way to a championship, but it sure feels like he’s trying to do it by forcing his way to Miami.
Many people eventually become what they hated during their more idealistic college years. Add Dame to the list.