I listened to podcast. What really stood out was Lillard saying that he wants to win a championship but more important are personal relationships & family. I thought of Michael Jordan. Six championships, multiple MVPs, arguably greatest basketball player ever, every accolade the sporting world could bestow, made hundreds of millions of dollars. And at his Hall of Fame induction he showed the real person behind the PR personality: bitter, petty, egotistical, vengeful, unforgiving. I thought then of an interview with Sam Bowie when he was asked about being poster child for bad draft picks. Bowie said he really had little to complain about. His NBA career was not what he'd hoped for, but he still got to play in the NBA, something few ever do. With the money he made he started a business he still owns. He's been married to the same woman for over 20 years and they have three healthy children, all of whom either are or will be going to college. He said life had been very good to him. And he seemed so much happier than Jordan!
I genuinely hope Dame wins one or more titles with Portland but whatever happens I think he'll find personal satisfaction.
Amusing side note. I was letting Lucia out of the house when Dame was talking about recording his album while Paul Allen was trying to persuade "LA" (Aldridge) to return. So I initially misheard it as he was trying to persuade "a lady" to return and thought WTF??? Even in the unlikely event he'd confide something so intimate in a much younger man who was, after all, his employee, no way would Dame be so vulgar as to spew it to the world. I went back and replayed, realized I had been letting the cat out of the house but Dame was not letting the cat out of the bag.
