Year one with the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t exactly go as expected for Damian Lillard. He came to Milwaukee to win a championship alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, but ultimately his rookie season with the Bucks ended with a familiar first-round exit in the NBA playoffs.
Despite a rocky start, Bucks management remains adamant that Lillard is the best player to pair with Antetokounmpo, and management is also convinced that there is nowhere else to go but the eight-time All-Star.
Milwaukee Bucks News: Jon Horst Talks What Damian Lillard Brings to the Team
It’s a given that Lillard is one of the best point guards in the game today. The fact that he was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team is clear evidence that Dame is one of the best to ever do it.
But for general manager Jon Horst, Lillard brings much more than just his elite skills. According to the high-ranking Bucks executive, what makes Dame so valuable is his unbridled leadership qualities.
“I think the other thing is Dame is an incredible mentor, professional, leader in this league. Well-respected, well-known for what he brings to an organization,” Horst told Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “He led the organization for most of his career, up until last season, so he’s taking active steps this year to continue to grow in that way with us as well.
“It’s not something that happens overnight. Him, Giannis, Khris, Brook, Doc, myself, we all have to figure out what that looks like, what our roles are in running this organization. And there’s no doubt he’s had a significant positive impact in those areas as a leader. And he’ll be even better this year than he was last year, just because he’ll be more familiar with it. He’ll understand what his role is and how he fits into it.”
Now that Lillard has had a full offseason with Giannis and the rest of the team, Horst is confident things will be much better in Year 2 — not just for Dame, but for the entire team.
“So I think we have to be healthy, we have to have talent, of course, and we have to be lucky,” Horst said. “It’s always like that. I’m betting our talent against everyone. We have to have health where everyone else is and we have to have a bit of luck, but I’m very, very positive and optimistic about this team, considering all the factors behind it.”
Bucks fans will soon find out if their boss’s optimism is justified.
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