Bucks’ Damian Lillard Admits He’s ‘Lonely’ In Milwaukee

During an interview with NBA reporter Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard admitted that he’s “lonely” in Milwaukee. 

Lillard’s family and friends are still in Portland. 

“Being away from my kids is tough,” Lillard said. “In Portland, my life was set up. My mom was down the street; my brother was the other way down the street. My sister was down the street. My kids in school. Just my whole life was set up perfectly right there. It was a great situation. So just leaving that behind alone is a lot. And then you add the basketball side to it and that is what it is.”

Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers last summer. He wanted to get traded to the Miami Heat, but the Blazers sent him to the Bucks instead. 

“It’s definitely lonely because I’m such a family guy,” Lillard said. “My life is my family. After games, I would come out and my whole family would be back there. My kids coming out of the playroom. My mom, my brother, my cousins lived there, you know what I mean? My best friends live in Portland. So I would come out, we would go to dinner. They might come to my house. After practice, I might go to my mom’s house and just chill. That’s how my life was. So, I mean, I’m fine because I’m grown. But it’s definitely lonely. I’m filled up by those people.”

One of the top players in the NBA, Lillard is averaging 24.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists this season while shooting 42.3% from the field, 34.2% from 3 and 92.4% from the free-throw line.

The Bucks are 37-21. They are in third place in the East. 

“Bro, go to practice, go home, watch boxing, play video games,” Lillard said when Mannix asked him what his life is like in Milwaukee. “Man, I type in [boxing website] FightHype on YouTube 100 times and be praying for something new to be on there. Seriously, I don’t have much of a life. But that’s what comes with making a big boy decision. You got to be down for that and figure it out.”