Damian Lillard is staying loyal to Portland and Portland will be loyal right back

Damian Lillard is cutting against the superstar grain, stating that being a Trail Blazer is more important than winning a ring.

In an age where “super teams” assemble to chase championship immortality, many of today’s NBA fans are often left heartbroken, feeling somber and sad, bitter at that idea that a once beloved hero of a city would sellout for a title.

Ask any Cavs fan who experienced the gut-wrenching feeling when LeBron publicly declared that he was “taking his talents” to South Beach in the Summer of 2010. Ask any Thunder enthusiast who felt the scorn of Kevin Durant selling his soul to the Golden State Warriors, a team the Thunder nearly beat to advance to the NBA finals.

These days, it’s hard to find a player who isn’t looking for that chance to win a ring. However, the fans in Portland may never have to feel the agony of watching their favorite player jump ship. When the fans of the Portland Trail Blazers think of their beloved Damian Lillard, they will experience a feeling of euphoria and bliss knowing that he plans to stay, something many of today’s NBA fans cannot relate to.

Chris Barnewell of CBS Sports recently highlighted an interesting Twitter Q& A that the star point guard recently participated in.  When Lillard was asked about the idea of leaving Portland in search of a championship ring, he responded by saying “I’m willing to not win it.  If I can’t build it where I am.”  He balked at the idea when asked about joining the Warriors, wittingly replying that the “Rip” in “Rip City” actually stands for (R)ings (I)n (P)rogress.

Though such a connotation may seem like an overstatement, considering that the Blazers barely squeaked into the playoffs, Lillard is offering something that is more important than wins or losses. He’s offering hope. Hope for the fans of a team that had a .500 record. Hope for the fans of a team that got swept by Golden State in the first round. Hope that the fans of Portland will never have to feel the same remorse and betrayal that many fans feel today.

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Damian Lillard stands firm that he will be loyal to the city of Portland and to the team that drafted him in 2012.  In return, the city of Portland will be loyal right back.