The emergence of Damian Lillard as a leader

2016 was the first time that we as NBA fans got to see Damian Lillard lead a team both on and off the court. And boy was it exciting.

Lillard had been under the guidance of the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, Wes Matthews, Nicolas Batum and Robin Lopez in his first three NBA seasons.

He had been a quiet achiever, except for the occasional series winning buzzer beater against Houston.

We all knew Lillard had the talent and work ethic, not missing a game and averaging north of 20 points in his first three NBA seasons.

But when controversy hit, and he was left as the lone star on a young, inexperienced team, Dame really turned up the heat.

Alongside CJ McCollum and Mason Plumlee, Lillard led a Portland team destined for the lottery to a top-five finish in prolific western conference, and a playoff win over championship contenders L.A.

Lillard averaged 25.1 points, 6.8 assists in 35.7 minutes per contest in 2016. Beyond the numbers however, Lillard’s teammates constantly praised Damian’s work ethic and leadership, declaring him a potential MVP.

Lillard continued his level of play throughout the playoffs, in which he averaged 26.5 points and 39.7 minutes per game. Even though teams double-teamed him and McCollum more often than not, Lillard still found a way to impact the game more than anyone.

Under the continued guidance of coach Terry Stotts, and with the emergence of a young team surrounding him, watch out for Damian Lillard in years to come. This kid is going places!