NBA star Damian Lillard gives back: Takes on GM role at alma mater Weber State

Nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard recently sealed his official return to the Portland Trail Blazers from the Milwaukee Bucks after agreeing to a three-year, $42 million deal.

Lillard is expected to miss most of the 2025–26 NBA season due to injury, and the 35-year-old is making the most of his time off by announcing that he will take over as the general manager of his college alma mater.

He made the announcement on Saturday, August 2, while hosting the Weber State Basketball Alumni Classic for the sixth time in Utah.

“It’s something that—my relationship with Coach Eric Duft and this program means a lot to me—and seeing the success of the program means a lot to me. I feel like I can do a lot to help the program be successful, to help the players—even individually—continue to grow their careers past college. That’s something I’m passionate about,” Lillard said.

“All of the resources I have, I now have the opportunity to use to support the program—while they’re in it and even after. It’s something I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to doing that work, to continuing to lift up the university and the program. It’s going to be fun,” he added.

A legacy continues in Ogden. Wildcat legend Damian Lillard is officially joining Weber State Men’s Basketball as the new General Manager.

Dame is stepping into a leadership role that will help shape the future of Wildcat hoops.

A new era begins now.#WeberStateGreat #DameTime pic.twitter.com/MV3bVHX6st

— Weber State Men’s Basketball (@WeberStateMBB) August 3, 2025

Lillard played for Weber State from 2008 to 2012, averaging 24.5 points per game in his senior year while shooting 46.6% from the field and 40.3% from three-point range. He was named Big Sky Player of the Year for the second time and earned Third-Team All-American honors.

His return to Portland marks a significant reunion, as Lillard spent 11 seasons with the Trail Blazers after being selected sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. He left the team on September 27, 2023, after being traded to Milwaukee in a multi-team deal. His new contract runs through the 2027–28 season, with the final year being a player option. Notably, it includes a no-trade clause, making Lillard only the second active NBA player with such a clause, alongside LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lillard holds multiple franchise records with Portland, including being the all-time leader in points (19,376) and three-pointers made (2,387). He led the team to eight postseason appearances, highlighted by a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2019.

“Being in Portland, people appreciate me not just for what I’ve done on the floor, but also for my presence in the city—because of who I am as a person. And when I come to Ogden, it’s the same,” Lillard reflected. “This summer has been the first time I’ve been able to take a deep breath and just look back at what’s happened over the last 13 years of my life. I can really see what’s been done and what contributed to all of my success.”

Widely regarded as one of the top guards in the NBA, Lillard is the 2013 Rookie of the Year, a nine-time NBA All-Star, the 2024 NBA All-Star Game MVP, a two-time Three-Point Contest champion, and the all-time leading scorer for the Trail Blazers.

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