Damian Lillard: the NBA's most underappreciated star

The common NBA fan may not even know who he is. They may have heard his name before or seen his stat line in the paper, but they may not even be able to tell you the team he plays for. Part of that is because of his unassuming ways; part of it is because of the small market he plays in.

For devoted fans, however, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers is more than just a name. He's a nightmare to play against.

Ever since winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2013, Lillard has established himself as one of the best point guards in the league, as well as one of the most potent scorers. In the process, he's helped make the Trail Blazers a perennial playoff team in a loaded Western Conference. This past season, Portland finished 49-33, good enough for the third seed in the West, behind only Houston and Golden State.

After bowing out of the playoffs courtesy of Anthony Davis and the Pelicans, Lillard took some heat after being named to the All-NBA First Team. The criticism may have been warranted given his underwhelming playoff numbers (18.5 pts, 4.8 ast, compared to 26.9 pts and 6.6 ast in the regular season). Thanks to Jrue Holiday's swarming defense, Lillard was never quite able to get it going like he usually does.

Lillard was joined by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Anthony Davis on this year's First Team. James posted the best statistical season of his storied career, Durant finally became the alpha male on Golden State, Harden locked up MVP honors with relative ease, and Davis continued to remind opponents who the best defensive player in the game was. At first glance, it doesn't look like Lillard should be included on a list like that. Look closer at the stats, however, and you may want to change your mind.

In addition to the 26.9 pts and 6.6 ast, Lillard also averaged 4.5 rebounds. He shot 91.6% from the free-throw line, 36% from deep, and about 44% from the field. He posted a better free-throw percentage than sharpshooters like Devin Booker, Kyrie Irving, and Harden. Lillard also averaged 36.6 minutes per game, bested only by LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Butler.

Since LaMarcus Aldridge's departure from Portland after the 2014-15 season, Lillard has been the Blazers' top dog. In the three seasons since Aldridge left, Lillard has averaged 26.3 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, in addition to 90% from the free-throw line and 37% from downtown. If you want to further legitimize Lillard's case, you could throw in the fact that he's only missed 23 games in that span and has played in 469 of a possible 492 contests throughout his six seasons. All of that, while at the same time leading the Trail Blazers to five straight playoff berths, including three straight without Aldridge.

One aspect about Lillard that sets him apart from his NBA counterparts is his unusual loyalty to his organization. In the 2015 offseason, he signed a 5-yr/$125 million contract extension with the Blazers. After some trade speculation following LeBron's move to the Lakers, Dame reiterated his commitment to Portland, saying he "loves where he is." He also retweeted a "Blazers for life" tweet on July 5, shutting down any rumors about LA.

If you're a devoted fan of the league like me, there probably aren't many point guards you'd take over Dame. Russell Westbrook, Irving, Steph Curry, and maybe even Chris Paul. If you're a Blazers fan, you wouldn't have it any other way.

Image credit: NBA.com

Stats: NBA.com

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