Reports of a possible conflict between Damian Lillard and Jordan Poole have been making the rounds, but Lillard recently clarified the situation.
A seven-time All-Star, Lillard reminisced about the incident that sparked the rumors.
“I remember the moment – I believe it was during his first year in the league, perhaps,” Lillard shared during an interview on the It Is What It Is podcast. “Jordan Poole – with Steph [Curry] sidelined, their team fielded mostly young players. We faced off against them, and [Poole] executed a slick step-back move to sink a three-pointer over me,” Lillard recounted.
The 33-year-old proceeded to recount how Poole began taunting him after sinking the shot, maintaining the banter even as Lillard prepared to take free throws later in the game.
“Upon turning around, I instructed him to zip it,” Lillard remembered. “He shot back, ‘You can’t silence me.’ His energy was intense. That’s when I sensed things escalating and felt the need to engage in a more direct conversation.”
Lillard ultimately notched a staggering 60 points against the Warriors on that occasion, undoubtedly quieting Poole.
The seasoned athlete further clarified that while he initially harbored ill feelings towards Poole due to the incident, he has since developed an appreciation for his skills and currently harbors no animosity towards the fresh addition to the Washington Wizards roster.
Lillard also clarified that the widely circulated clip where he expressed his animosity towards Poole was taken out of context and failed to capture the complete narrative, as per his statement.
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