Damian Lillard’s rise to NBA stardom started with a pretty harsh reality check.
Before he was an eight-time All-Star and one of the most dangerous scorers the league has seen, Lillard was a sophomore at St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda, California, sitting on the bench while his coach questioned whether he had any real shot at the NBA.
Lillard shared the story on social media, remembering how his coach broke down the tiny odds of high school players reaching the league and then asked him point-blank if he thought he would be one of them.
“I was on the bench that whole season and he told me I prob wouldn’t be on the team the next year,” Lillard recalled. “I said yea and he smiled and chuckled right in my face … true story … you just never know.”
That moment didn’t stop him. The Oakland native transferred to Oakland High School, landed a scholarship to Weber State, and eventually became the No. 6 overall pick by Portland in the 2012 NBA Draft.
What came next was the kind of career that turns doubt into a footnote. Lillard poured in a franchise-record 71 points in a 131-114 win over the Houston Rockets on February 26, 2023, shooting 22-of-38 from the floor, hitting 13 threes, and adding 14 free throws.
My high school coach as a sophomore at St Joes broke these #s down to me and asked me if I thought I would be one of them… I was on the bench that whole season and he told me I prob wouldn’t be on the team the next year. I said yea and he smiled and chuckled right in my face …… https://t.co/HqCunEALH3
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) August 25, 2026
His resume keeps that early skepticism looking even smaller: NBA Rookie of the Year, All-NBA First Team, and a place on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
The lesson from Lillard’s story is simple. Early labels don’t decide the ending.
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