Lillard returning to Weber State, this time as GM

Damian Lillard is returning to college, this clip arsenic wide manager of Weber State, wherever helium erstwhile starred.

The existent Portland Trail Blazers defender made the announcement Saturday nighttime successful Ogden, Utah, wherever helium hosted the Weber State Basketball Alumni Classic.

"It's thing that, my narration with manager (Eric) Duft and this programme means a batch to me, and seeing the occurrence of the programme means a batch to me," Lillard said astatine the event, according to the Standard-Examiner. "I consciousness similar I tin bash a batch to assistance the programme beryllium successful, to assistance the players adjacent individually proceed to turn their careers past college, that's thing that I'm passionate about."

The GM relation has risen successful popularity successful assemblage hoops and shot successful caller years, tasked with overseeing programs successful the aftermath of the transportation portal, NIL and the different changing dynamics successful assemblage athletics.

Lillard becomes the latest large sanction hired for specified a job. He was a two-time Big Sky MVP successful his 3 seasons astatine Weber State earlier leaving aft his inferior twelvemonth successful 2011-12. The program's lone All-American, helium ranks 4th successful vocation scoring and 3rd successful 3-pointers astatine Weber State.

The schoolhouse said Lillard "will enactment intimately with the coaching unit and diversion section enactment to supply insight, mentorship, and guidance, utilizing his acquisition astatine the collegiate and nonrecreational levels to elevate the program."

A nine-time NBA All-Star, Lillard re-signed with the Trail Blazers past period aft helium was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks. The 35-year-old presently is rehabbing from a near Achilles tendon teardrop suffered successful April and is improbable to play successful 2025-26.