The announcement of the new Portland WNBA team has stirred excitement and speculation within the sports community, especially given Lillard’s deep connection to the city. Lillard, a former Trail Blazer who was drafted by Portland in 2012 and spent 11 seasons with the team, left a significant mark on the franchise. During his tenure, he led the Blazers to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. However, persistent injuries and short-lived playoff runs eventually led to his departure. Last summer, Damian Lillard requested a trade, which the Blazers honored by sending him to the Milwaukee Bucks to pair up with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
@Dame_Lillard I wanna be the gm for Portland’s wnba team when you buy it 👀— Evan Turner (@thekidet) September 18, 2024
Turner’s playful suggestion that Lillard should become the general manager (GM) of the new Portland WNBA team highlights the deep ties and ongoing camaraderie between the two former teammates. While Damian Lillard has not expressed any intentions of buying a WNBA team, his longstanding advocacy for the league and its players adds an interesting dimension to Turner’s proposal.
Lillard has been a vocal supporter of the WNBA for years. In the summer of 2018, he was spotted courtside with fellow NBA star DeMar DeRozan at a game between the Las Vegas Aces and the Connecticut Sun. During that event, Lillard took the opportunity to champion the cause of the WNBA, asserting that the league and its players deserve more recognition and better compensation. “They deserve a lot more respect,” Lillard stated at the time. “They deserve to make a lot more money than they do. I think it’s time people start recognizing that they are professional athletes and they should be treated like it.”
.@dame_lillard on the @WNBA: “They deserve a lot more respect. They deserve to make a lot more money than they do. I think it’s time people start recognizing that they are professional athletes and they should be treated like it and their league should be elevated…” pic.twitter.com/QHgst1dSjI— Her Hoop Stats (@herhoopstats) July 8, 2018
This advocacy by Lillard stands in stark contrast to the salary disparity between NBA and WNBA players. As Lillard prepares to earn $48.7 million this season, the combined salary of the top 10 highest-paid WNBA players totals just $2.29 million. This glaring pay gap underscores the broader issue of inequality in professional sports, with WNBA players frequently voicing their demands for fairer wages and recognition.
While Turner’s suggestion about Lillard potentially being the GM of a WNBA team may seem far-fetched, it is not entirely out of the realm of possibility given Lillard’s strong ties to Portland and his support for the WNBA. However, with Lillard’s career still in full swing and his current focus on his role with the Milwaukee Bucks, such a venture is likely not on the immediate horizon.
The establishment of a new WNBA team in Portland is a significant milestone for the city and the league, providing a fresh opportunity for growth and engagement in women’s professional basketball. The idea of Lillard being involved in this development, whether directly or indirectly, adds an intriguing layer to the unfolding story.
Evan Turner’s bold hypothetical scenario, while speculative, serves to highlight the enduring connections between athletes and their former teams, as well as the ongoing discussions about the future of women’s professional sports. As the new Portland WNBA team prepares for its debut, the potential involvement of prominent figures like Damian Lillard in the league’s expansion continues to capture the imagination of fans and industry insiders alike.
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