The Damian Lillard videos (must see)

Damian Lillard came out of Oakland High a few years back and quickly earned Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year and First Team All Conference honors in his initial season at Weber State.

The next season, it was the Big Sky Conference MVP crown.

In 2010-2011, a foot injury after participating in just nine games cut short his collection of awards.

But in a brilliant move, an idea that originated in the commissioner's office of the Big Sky Conference, Lillard was given a camera and the "Life With Lillard" (our title) videography series began.

Episode One

Episode Two

Episode Three

Episode Four

By the way, former McClymonds star Frank Otis is finishing up a redshirt season at Weber State and will be back on the court come the 2011-2012 go-around.

Plus, Davion Berry, the former Hayward High star, is now also headed to Ogden, Utah.

The success of Lillard was certainly a lure for Otis and Berry. He was the pioneer, establishing that saying yes to Coach Randy Rahe and Weber State offered a viable path towards allowing one's talent to blossom.

But it's been a two-way street because, since Lillard's arrival, the Wildcats have gone 21-10 and 20-11, before this season's 18-14 during his absence.

Damian Lillard out for the season

We missed this earlier on Damian Lillard:

"The 2009-10 Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player suffered a “Jones Fracture” on his right foot 5th metatarsal in WSU’s 81-79 overtime loss at the University of Tulsa on December 16. Lillard will miss the remainder of the 2010-11 season. 

He had successful surgery on December 28th in Ogden.  

A “Jones Fracture” usually requires 10-12 weeks of healing to make sure the bone is solid."     

Did you catch this? (Damian Lillard)

From the Weber State athletics site:

 Damian Lillard's two free throws with six seconds left, lifted the Weber State Wildcats to an 82-81 victory Saturday afternoon over Drake University in the third place game of the 33rd Annual Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, Alaska.

The two free throws came on a bizarre call. Drake took an 81-80 lead with 20 seconds left on a driving lay up by Rayvonte Rice. The Wildcats called time with 15 seconds left to set up the potential winning basket, but Damian Lillard was called for an offensive foul driving to the hoop with eight seconds left giving Drake the ball.

But Drake's Aaron Hawley grabbed the ball in jubilation and slammed it to the floor. Hawley was called for a technical foul. WSU coach Randy Rahe put Damian Lillard on the line and he calmly sank both shots giving him a game, and season high, 31 points.

Drake then inbounded the ball and Kurt Alexander drove the lane throwing up a driving lay up which bounced off the rim.

The Draft Express site evaluates Damian Lillard

Weber State sophomore Damian Lillard is evaluated by the folks at the Draft Express site:

Top NBA Draft Prospects in Non-BCS Conferences, Part Five (#26-30)
Kyle Nelson
Draft Express
November 11, 2010

Point guard Damian Lillard did little to stand out as a freshman at Weber State, but he emerged as one of the nation's top scoring guards as a sophomore. The Big Sky Conference MVP also performed well in front of NBA scouts at the 2010 adidas Nations Camp. His solid performance against elite collegiate players boosted his draft stock and drastically increased expectations for his junior season.

At 6'2 with a decent 180-pound frame, Lillard has average size for the point guard position at the next level. Athletically, however, he is a mixed bag. While he does have a better than average first step and is quick in the open floor, he is not particularly explosive and lacks ideal strength to compensate...

Go here for the remainder.

Coach Randy Rahe can't say enough about Damian Lillard

Former Oakland High backcourter Damian Lillard is more than prospering at Weber State. Coming off Big Sky Conference most valuable player honors, his coach Randy Rahe recently said this:

“As for … Damian, I’ve been in Division I basketball a little more than 20 years and I’ve not been around a kid that works at it as hard as he does. As a player, he’s hard to guard, has great range and still have sneaky explosiveness. For his size, he’s got big hands and long arms.”

The vastly underrated Damian Lillard

Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and ESPN are teaming up to offer on-line previews and Weber State of the Big Sky Conference is offered today.

In the look at the Wildcats, this is said about Damian Lillard (Oakland High) by Weber State Head Coach Randy Rahe:

"I've been doing this 22 years, four years as a head coach, been around a lot of kids and I don't think I've ever been around a kid that works as hard, puts in the time and is as obsessed with working out and getting better as this kid," Rahe said. "He's the total package. It's nice thinking to know this kid is capable of playing really well and doing a lot of things to help your team win. And he's so grounded and humble that it makes it even that much more special for us."

The 6-foot-2 Lillard was named the league most valuable player after averaging 19.9 points, 4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game as a sophomore..

Go here for the full Weber State preview.

Damian Lillard named MVP

We repeat: how did he get out of the Bay Area/northern California without an offer? Was it groupthink, the idea that if so-and-so isn't recruiting this kid, then why should we? There was debate over whether Lillard was a 1 or a 2 but there should have been no doubt that he is a baller, period.

Wildcats' Damian Lillard named league MVP
Deseret News
March 3, 2010

OGDEN — A season after earning the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year Award, Weber State's Damian Lillard is the league's men's basketball Most Valuable Player.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore guard from Oakland, Calif., was unanimously selected by the conference coaches as the league MVP and member of the All-Conference First Team.

"This is a tremendous honor for Damian and our team," said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. "Damian has worked extremely hard on and off the court to improve his game, become a better player and a better teammate. He's certainly worthy of the recognition..."

Go here for the remainder.

Damian Lillard leads Weber State over Montana

Damian Lillard is keeping it up, scoring 30 points to topple visiting Montana:

Second Half Rally Sends Weber State Past Montana, 64-56, Saturday Night in Ogden
Courtesy: Weber State
1/02/2010

Damian Lillard scored a career high 30 points, 11 of them coming in the final four minutes, leading Weber State to a 64-54 win over the University of Montana, Saturday night in Ogden

The Wildcats led 33-23 at half time behind 16 points from Lillard and appeared to have control of the game. The Grizzlies came out in the second half and out scored the Wildcats 8-1 in the first three minutes. WSU stopped the run on a basket from Steve Panos, a three-pointer and free throw by Nick Hansen, making it 40-34 for the ‘Cats...

Go here for the remainder.

It was a bit of a homecoming as former McClymonds star backcourter Will Cherry scored 16 points for Montana. Surely, Cherry and Lillard have matched up many times back in Oakland. Here's the game report from the Ogden Examiner:

Lillard's career night leads Weber State to win over Montana
Jasen Asay
Standard-Examiner
January 2, 2010

Since he had been putting in some extra time in the gym, Damian Lillard figured that he'd be out to reap some rewards from his extra work. The Weber State point guard did just that on Saturday, as he scored a career-high 30 points and led the Wildcats to a come-from-behind win.

Lillard scored 30 points, including 11 of WSU's final 14, as the Wildcats topped Montana 64-56 at the Dee Events Center.

"In the past couple of games I haven't made a lot of shots, and it was coming from me not being in the gym enough and not getting up enough shots," said Lillard, whose previous career-high 28 points came in a win over Utah earlier this season. "I just came in (Friday) night and made sure my stroke was right, shot some free throws, shot a lot of 3's, some mid-range jumpers. If I'm putting in the work, why not show it?"

Lillard also led WSU with five assists and grabbed seven rebounds, while Steve Panos also reached double digits with 10 points...

Go here for the remainder.

Damian Lillard shines against Utah

How did some of the local colleges ever let this guy get away?

This guy being Damian Lillard.

The sophomore from Oakland scored a career-high 28 points (9-17 from the floor, 9-9 at the foul line), passed for seven assists and garnered five rebounds to lead Weber State to an 83-76 victory over in-state rival Utah.

Lillard is averaging 20.8 points per game this season. He is shooting .446% overall and .906% at the foul line. Lillard is grabbing four rebounds a game and possesses a 19-12 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Damian Lillard en fuego

Sure, it was just an exhibition game but how many teams make 13 three-pointers in a row anytime or anywhere? Who can do that even in practice? Plus, Oaklander Damian Lillard looks like he is ready to pick up right where he left off last season at Weber State.

Wildcats knock down 19 three-pointers In 110-58 exhibition win

November 2nd, 2009

Weber State hit 19 three-pointers, 13 of them without a miss in the first half, defeating the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, 110-58 Monday night in the first exhibition game of the season for the Wildcats.

The trey barrage began at the 17:08 mark of the first half with the 'Cats leading 6-5. Nick Hansen's trey made it 12-5, followed by three-pointers from Damian Lillard, Hansen and Lillard again making it a 21-7 game. WSU newcomer Franklin Session then had a break away slam at 14:25 and added a three-pointer 21 seconds later to give WSU a 26-7 lead. Lillard followed with the third of his game high six treys at 12:48 giving WSU a 29-9 advantage.

The Wildcats were 13-13 from the three-point line until freshman forward Byron Fulton missed with 1:52 remaining in the first half and the 'Cats led 58-31 at the break behind 20 points from Lillard. WSU ended the first half 13-16 from the arc (.813) and made 6-10 in the second half to end the game 19-26 (.731). Those 19 would have been a WSU school record by four had it been a regular season game counter..

...Lillard, a sophomore from Oakland, California and last year's Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year, had a near perfect night hitting 8-8 from the field including 6-6 from the arc, and was 5-6 from the free throw line scoring 27 points and dishing out seven assists as well..