The New Guard: Lillard Clutch Since Day One

[brooklynballer]

Nice little article on the Blazer's burgeoning superstar here. Some great insights on why Lillard is the player, and person, he is today. Enjoy!

A shaft of sunlight spills through the glass door and splashes across a rack of well-worn dumbbells and other exercise equipment in a large room with blue walls that match the ocean less than three miles to the west. Newspaper and magazine clippings of the local athletes who have come through the entrance over the years line the walls—including a few featuring Damian Lillard. This stripmall dojo in North Oakland’s Mosswood district is Ant’s Mind and Body, home base of strength and conditioning coach Anthony Eggleton, a Qigong master of the internal martial arts and self-proclaimed healer. Lillard’s former AAU coach, Randy Young, introduced the point guard to Eggleton, known as Coach Ant, when Lillard was in Grade 7, and the two have been working together ever since.

Mods, if this has been posted already, please remove. Tx.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Great find. My brother-in-law is a blackbelt in Aikido who specializes in Ki training so I found the article particularly interesting.

 

[BBert]

Lillard does Qigong? That explains a lot.

 

[Shooter]

No link?

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

No link?

Click on the OP's "here" in the first sentence.

 

[blue9]

I've always thought that a martial art - specifically tai chi - would be a great addition to a team's training regimen. It could do a lot to improve balance and agility, and help post players gain and maintain position. And the mental benefits, and awareness, would be great too. Dame definitely seems to have that state of mind, if not the awareness. If the entire team went through daily forms together I think there could be some crazy results.

 

[brooklynballer]

I've always thought that a martial art - specifically tai chi - would be a great addition to a team's training regimen. It could do a lot to improve balance and agility, and help post players gain and maintain position. And the mental benefits, and awareness, would be great too. Dame definitely seems to have that state of mind, if not the awareness. If the entire team went through daily forms together I think there could be some crazy results.

Agree. I think this training explains a lot about why Dame is so calm on the floor during a game, and especially at the end of games - he's able to channel his inner chi. To me, it makes a of lot of sense for teams to incorporate this into their regular training regimen.

 

[Haakzilla]

...chi-yeah!