Damian Lillard's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A closer look at the biggest achievements of Damian Lillard. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.
Damian Lillard, nicknamed "Dame Time", is a highly accomplished American professional basketball player currently playing for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was drafted sixth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012, where he spent the majority of his career and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Lillard earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2013 and was a seven-time NBA All-Star and seven-time All-NBA Team selection. He played college basketball at Weber State, earning All-American honors in 2012 before entering the NBA.
1968: Elvin Hayes Leads in Total Minutes
In 1968, Elvin Hayes led the NBA in total minutes played.
1978: Turnover Statistic
In 1978, the turnover statistic became official in the NBA.
1981: Inaugural NBA Rookie of the Month Award
In 1981, the NBA Rookie of the Month honors were introduced.
1984: Ralph Sampson Rookie of the Year
In 1984, Ralph Sampson won the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
1986: Clyde Drexler Accomplishments
In 1986, Clyde Drexler had at least 1,500 points and 500 assists.
1987: Terry Porter's Assist Record
In 1987, Terry Porter reached 1,500 assists.
1988: Clyde Drexler Point Mark
In 1988, Clyde Drexler had a point mark in the Blazers first 25 games.
1990: David Robinson Rookie of the Year
In 1990, David Robinson won the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
1991: Clyde Drexler Point and Assists Record
In 1991, Clyde Drexler had 600 points and 150 assists in the team's first 25 games.
1991: Clyde Drexler Accomplishments
In 1991, Clyde Drexler had at least 1,500 points and 500 assists.
1991: Drexler Scoring Streak
In 1991, Drexler scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games.
1994: Rookie Assist Record
In 1994, Jason Kidd recorded 11 assists in his NBA debut. This is relevant to Lillard's debut where he matched the assist total.
1995: Chicago Bulls' Record
In 1995, the Chicago Bulls went on to win 73 games.
2004: Damon Stoudamire's 3-Point Record
In 2004, Damon Stoudamire made 181 three-pointers.
2005: Kobe Bryant Scoring Streak
In 2005, Kobe Bryant scored 27 or more points in each of his team's first five games.
2009: Bryant Points Record
In 2009, Kobe Bryant had 264 points through the first eight games.
2009: Stephen Curry's 3-Point Record
In 2009, Stephen Curry made 166 three-pointers.
December 3, 2011: College Career-High 41 Points
On December 3, 2011, Damian Lillard scored a college career-high 41 points against San Jose State, including a game-clinching three-point play to give Weber State a 91–89 double-overtime win.
2011: Comparison to Blake Griffin
In 2011, Blake Griffin won the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
2012: All-American Honors and NBA Draft
In 2012, Damian Lillard earned third-team All-American honors while playing college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats. He was also selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.
December 19, 2014: Career-High 43 Points
On December 19, 2014, Damian Lillard scored a career-high 43 points in a 129–119 triple-overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs.
2014: Playoff Series Win
In 2014, Damian Lillard helped the Trail Blazers win their first playoff series since 2000, making a buzzer-beating shot in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets. He was also named to the All-NBA Third Team at the end of the season.
February 8, 2015: NBA All-Star Selection
On February 8, 2015, Damian Lillard was selected as a replacement for the injured Blake Griffin in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game.
March 4, 2015: Career-High 18 Rebounds
On March 4, 2015, Damian Lillard recorded a career-high 18 rebounds in a 98–93 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
October 28, 2015: Fastest to 600 Career Three-Pointers
On October 28, 2015, Damian Lillard became the fastest NBA player to reach 600 career three-point field goals, doing so in 247 games. Also, he recorded 21 points and 11 assists in a season-opening win over the New Orleans Pelicans, reaching 1,500 career assists.
2016: 51-Point Game and Franchise Records
In 2016, Damian Lillard scored a career-high 51 points against the Golden State Warriors. He also recorded 400 assists for the season, making him the first Trail Blazer with 400-plus assists in each of his first four seasons. He averaged 25.1 points per game, joining Drexler and Kiki Vandeweghe as the third Blazer to average 25-plus points. Finished 8th in the 2016 MVP Race.
November 20, 2021: Season-High Scoring Game
On November 20, 2021, Damian Lillard scored a season-high 39 points, along with 7 assists and 3 blocks, in a 118–111 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
2021: Olympic Gold Medal and NBA 75th Anniversary Team Selection
In 2021, Damian Lillard won a gold medal for the U.S. Olympic team at the 2020 Summer Olympics and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
2021: Playoff Career-High Performance
In 2021, during Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs, Damian Lillard achieved a playoff career-high of 55 points with 12 three-pointers and 10 assists. Despite his efforts, the Nuggets won in double overtime.
January 12, 2023: Season-High Scoring Performance
On January 12, 2023, Damian Lillard achieved a then season-high of 50 points in a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers, marking his 15th career game with 50 or more points.
October 26, 2023: Bucks Debut
On October 26, 2023, Damian Lillard made his debut for the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 39 points and securing 8 rebounds in a victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. This marked a franchise record for a debut performance.
January 30, 2025: All-Star Selection
On January 30, 2025, Damian Lillard was named as reserve for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, his ninth selection.
