Giannis Antetokounmpo: Lillard cites FMVP as an inspiration to stay loyal

In an NBA where big-name players are constantly changing teams, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have been among the loyal players to their respective franchises.

For Antetokounmpo, it has been the Milwaukee Bucks, the franchise that selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Over the past eight years, Antetokounmpo helped this team ascend from the worst record in the association to the defending world champions. Lillard has consistently been adamant about his loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers since they took him with the sixth pick in the previous draft, earning his status as one of the best point guards in the league along the way.

The biggest question for each player has always been whether or not they would be able to win a championship with their small-market franchise. Antetokounmpo proved that he indeed could as he led the Bucks to their first championship in over 50 years. Meanwhile, Lillard is still looking to reach the mountain top, and he has been shrouded in trade speculation for years. It is the same chatter that surrounded Antetokounmpo before he signed the dotted line on a five-year supermax extension to show his loyalty to Milwaukee and the Bucks. Yet, Lillard remains loyal to the Blazers, and Antetokounmpo might be some motivation behind that.

Damian Lillard cites Giannis Antetokounmpo as an inspiration to stay put with the Portland Trail Blazers

Recently sitting down with Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes, Lillard detailed his speculation-filled offseason after the Blazers suffered an early postseason defeat. As it did every previous year, trade rumors immediately began popping up about Lillard’s future, but the guard was sure to silence any idea that he would leave when things got challenging.

"“When I was like, ‘Man, what if I’m not back in Portland?’ When I actually had that thought, it just runs so deep with me to win here,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “I want to win here. I’ve attached myself to the history of this organization and this city. Just in thinking about how long it’s been since they’ve won, I want to be a part of that coming to an end. I want people to say, ‘When Dame came through here, he rode all the way out for us through the good and the bad. He was ready to sink with the ship.’"

Lillard also talked about how he is against the idea of joining a “superteam” in the NBA. He wants to win, but he wants to do it the old-fashioned way, the right way. Sound familiar? It should, as it is exactly what Antetokounmpo told reporters after he won the championship this past July. He stated how he knew it would have been easy to abandon the Bucks and join an array of other stars, but that would not have the same gratification as winning one with Milwaukee would.

Seconds after winning the title, Antetokounmpo could only sit on the court, teary-eyed and full of joy that he had finally done what everyone said he never would. It seems like Lillard took note of that, and he wants to experience that same feeling as a Blazer before his career concludes.

"“But when I watched Giannis, he was really looking around like, ‘Damn, what if I really left Milwaukee? This was worth it.’ So for me, I put myself in his shoes. Sometimes it seems like this is impossible and it’s never going to happen, and I’m sure he was there before, too.“If I was to get that championship for Portland, I would cry, bruh. Bruh, on the spot. I would really cry, bro. I want to win a championship here. And because of how strongly I feel about that, I don’t know how rewarding it would feel for me at this point if I won somewhere else. Winning it here would be a lifetime achievement for me.”"

Although it has been tested throughout the years, Lillard has never entirely wavered in his belief that he can win with the Blazers. After watching Antetokounmpo hoist that Finals MVP trophy as a Buck after years of scrutiny and being told that he could not reach that level, Lillard seems only more motivated to put himself in that position as well. Lillard and Antetokounmpo are two of the few remaining players in this league that embody loyalty, and it is welcoming to hear that they have worked out together in the past.

Perhaps the Bucks and Blazers could square off on the big stage at some point with a headliner of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard going head-to-head.