Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
In a recent interview with As, the Real Madrid legend talked about his years as a player and had no doubts when choosing the best player he played with. “It’s pretty easy. I’ve been fortunate to play with Pau for many years. With players like Navarro, Llull… I could make you a list. Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge. A very long list. But the one who has had the greatest impact on me professionally and personally has been Luka Doncic. There are players who are touched by a magic wand, and Luka is one of them“.
Damian Lillard: I remember when it came time for free agency, they were just like, "You know, we got some meetings. We're going to go meet..." Then the team asked me, "Is you guys' relationship salvageable?" I was just like, "Is our relationship salvageable? What you talking about? Me and him never had an argument — nothing. Like, this whole time, I thought we was smooth. I thought we was cool." And they looking at me kind of confused, like, "You serious?" I'm like, "I don’t see what the issue is." So I walk out of the meeting, and I’m just like, "Is our relationship salvageable?" I'm thinking to myself, like, "Why would they ask me that?"
So I'm walking to the car. I call LA, like, "E, what's up?" And he like, What's up, bro?" I'm like, "We supposed to be coming to meet you. Like, why they... you know what I'm saying? Why they asking me that?" And he like, "Man, you know, I'm hearing that people saying it's your team. And they telling me it's my team. They going to do this and that, and all this other stuff. I don't know who's saying what, so... it's too late now. I'mma move on. So I’m like, "All right, bro." You know what I'm saying? I thought everything was smooth. I didn’t even know none of this stuff existed.
Damian Lillard: We get off the phone. Shortly after that, it came out that he signed with the Spurs. I was more confused, 'cause I’m like, "I never even been in their offices before today." Like, I never was in the office before today. So I'm like, it had to be just rumors — people saying that they telling Dame one thing and telling him something else.
Do you ever have that "what if" moment? Like, what do you think the potential of you and LaMarcus Aldridge was — LaMarcus in his prime and you developing into the player that you became? Damian Lillard: I felt like, in the next one or two years, we would have won it. 'Cause we was one of the best teams my second year — just inexperienced. We was one of the best teams for a long time. My third year, we just had a lot of injuries — like major injuries. I feel like that fourth year would have been a good year. You gotta think — we had Will Barton stepping into his fourth year, too. Will played well for us over the years. CJ played well in the playoffs when we lost to Memphis.
Advertisement
Keith Smith: As part of the process to complete their offseason moves, the Brooklyn Nets renounced FA rights for LaMarcus Aldridge, Wilson Chandler, Mike James, De'Anthony Melton, Dennis Smith Jr and Ziaire Williams. Brooklyn will re-sign Williams with either cap space or the Room Exception.
Lonnie Walker: I’ve been around a lot of pros, Hall of Famers like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. But for his age, LeBron’s work ethic was on a whole different level. He didn’t play any games, man. Every day at 8:00 a.m., he was working. He was hungry, like he was a rookie again, like it was his first year. You’d think he had nothing left to prove—he’s the GOAT—but he acted like he had everything to prove. On off days, he worked. When there was no practice, he worked. He was the first one in the gym and the last player to leave. He did everything necessary for recovery—cold tubs, massages, icing his knees, ankles, and back. Even during games, at halftime, he’d ice his entire body. He had a level of attention to detail and discipline I’ve never seen. He put his ankles in recovery boots and managed every aspect of his diet and body care with precision. His habits and commitment to the game were unlike anything I’ve witnessed. He didn’t slack off, and he never took a day off. There was a method to his madness.
LaMarcus Aldridge: "To play with Tim, it was better than I could imagine. You always hear like, 'This guy’s a great teammate,' and in the back of your mind, you think, 'He ain’t that good.' But with Tim, it was true. He’s selfless, cares about winning, only has one goal, which is to make everybody better. He’s my favorite player. To meet him, play with him, and realize that he’s that good of a person—it was cool. He had my back, passed me the torch, and supported me through it all.
Advertisement
Kyle Filipowski: “There are players like Chris Paul, Luka, and LaMarcus Aldridge whom I admire for different aspects of their game. Chris Paul for his IQ, Luka Doncic for playing within himself and using his strengths, and LaMarcus Aldridge for his dominance and shooting ability.” “I see bits and pieces of my game in players like Chris Paul and Anthony Davis. I learn from how they play and think ahead on the court, which helps me improve my own game.”
That included LaMarcus Aldridge, who in 2013 was coming off his second All-Star appearance. During training camp, Aldridge got switched onto McCollum. McCollum made a step-back jumper over Aldridge against tight coverage. The two began to exchange words. “Talking s***, too,” Lillard said. “Talking s***. L.A. contested it. He was like, ‘That’s off.’ CJ was like, ‘Shut up.’ He said it out loud. ‘Shut up.’ And he made it. And I remember them having a back and forth. But I think that just speaks to the kind of confidence he had right away.”
Raul Barrigon: Kevin Durant passed LaMarcus Aldridge in blocks last night. He's now No. 66 on the all-time list. 🔥 Durantula also passed Gus Johnson for No. 98 in rebounding 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DJ6atu0nfv