Lillard showsroots in shoes

The one thing that keeps Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard grounded is family, his appreciation of where he came from. Throughout his basketball journey, Lillard has never lost touch with home and in his third Adidas signature shoe, he pays tribute to his roots to show where his heart lies.

Lillard, 26, entered the NBA in the 2012-13 season not at the top of the rookie crop, coming from Weber State, a public university in Ogden, Utah. He was drafted by Portland sixth overall behind Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchirst, Bradley Beal, Dion Waiters and Thomas Robinson. He earned $9.6 Million in his first three years but last season, signed a $120 Million, five-year contract extension to establish his worth as a bona fide superstar.

Battling the odds is something Lillard is used to. It’s unusual that despite averaging at least 25 points the last two years, he wasn’t picked to play in the NBA All-Star Game. This season, he’s averaging 25.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 43.6 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from beyond the arc and 89.9 percent from the line. Those stats were a strong argument for Lillard to make it to the West squad but for some reason, he was snubbed. Maybe, it’s because Portland is underachieving. The Blazers are No. 10 in the West with a 24-34 record and likely to miss the playoffs. Whatever the reason, it’s unfair to ignore Lillard. But he’s not affected.  Proving himself is par for the course in Lillard’s career and family is what toughens him to face every challenge.

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In Oakland where he was born and raised, Lillard went from playing hoops using leftover plastic milk boxes with cut-out bottoms that his grandfather nailed on a telephone pole in their front yard as a boy to starring in high school and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Lillard wasn’t heavily recruited as a two-star prospect and wound up at Weber State. Kobe Paras was more highly regarded out of high school as a three-star prospect. Lillard eventually landed in Oregon in the NBA. Wearing number 0 is Lillard’s way of tracing his basketball odyssey from Oakland to Ogden to Oregon.

With his third Adidas shoe, Lillard said, “It’s all about appreciation for the people that went out of their way so I’d be able to hoop growing up ... there were a lot of things that happened where if I didn’t have a strong support system, it probably would’ve drowned me but my family helped me rise up and now, I want to inspire and encourage everyone else to do the same thing.”

The shoe shows the initials of his mother and two grandmothers molded onto the right toe and the initials of his father and grandfather on the left. The longitude and latitude of Oakland’s Brookfield neighborhood where he grew up are on the outrigger of the left and right foot while the 56316 code displayed on the telephone pole where those milk crates where nailed to are on the center of the outsole.  The words “WEARING THE LETTER O” are on the left sockliner and “The Letter O,” the title of his debut album, is printed on the right sockliner. The shoe reflects the story of Lillard’s life. His mother Gina said it’s his way of making sure “everybody knows there’s an opportunity out there for them to make it.”

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Lillard worked with Adidas every step of the road in developing the new shoe from the storytelling aspect to the technical features including a customizable lacing system to complement a Techfit bootie, a fused mesh upper to ensure durability, comfort and breathability, a softer material execution for “no break in time” on the court, a traction pattern to optimize grip for his step-back jumper and a dual-density bounce cushion.

“Damian inspires all of us with his path in life and his approach to the game, giving the design team plenty to work with,” said Adidas basketball design director Jesse Rademacher. “We set out to create a shoe that embraces who Dame is. Above all else, his commitment to kids and those around him show his true character.”

A player with a signature shoe signifies a coming of age. For Lillard, it’s his third rebirth as a superstar.

His inspiring story continues to unfold as he remains strong in his battle to defy the odds with family rooted in his tracks. Having been left out of the last two NBA All-Star Games isn’t a damper for Lillard. It’s a reminder to stay focused for the fans and family because their recognition is the most important of all.