The Portland Trail Blazers’ guard Damian Lillard spent the entirety of last season on the sidelines, continuing his rehabilitation from a ruptured Achilles. Now, the nine-time All-Star is expected to make an anticipated return during the 2026-27 season.
Before even stepping back onto an NBA court, Lillard has grabbed plenty of attention thanks to an impressive shooting session that caught the eye of Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green.
Green’s strong assessment of Lillard’s shooting ability has since sparked a divided reaction among fans.
Draymond Green’s Damian Lillard Take Sparks Heated Debate Among NBA Fans
Lillard recently shared clips from an impressive long-range shooting workout in which he knocked down 1,100 shots out of 1,168 three-point attempts. The extraordinary numbers immediately caught Green’s attention and left him clearly impressed.
During the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green explained that he had rarely, if ever, witnessed a shooting performance quite like the one Lillard produced during his offseason work. Green even made it clear that, despite having watched and played alongside Stephen Curry for years, he had not seen anyone replicate those numbers.
“I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anyone hit 1,100 out of 1,168,” Green said. “I’m also not about to sit there and watch Steph shoot 1,100 shots… Being a marksman that he already was, man, he’s gonna have to get his legs under him for sure and come back. But when he does, I don’t think the league is ready to see the type of shooting display that Dame about to put on when they get back.”
Draymond reacts to Damian Lillard going 1,100 for 1,168 from three in shooting practice
“I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anyone hit 1,100 out of 1,168, I’m also not about to sit there and watch Steph shoot 1,100 shots… He gonna have to get his legs under him for sure and… pic.twitter.com/7KcOqyLZDV
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) September 6, 2026
Green’s praise immediately caught the attention of NBA fans, with some supporters viewing his comments as particularly meaningful.
“This means something considering he’s been practicing with Curry for a decade and a half,” a user commented.
This means something considering he’s been practicing with Curry for a decade and a half https://t.co/0mWbZUcN8B
— AFT 👽 (@AlienForTrois) September 6, 2026
“[Expletives], coming from someone who’s played alongside Steph his whole career that’s a really huge compliment,” a comment read.
“Respect!” one user added.
Respect! https://t.co/Uc2cSH7x3x
— Bert DeSalvo (@CoachDeSalvo) September 6, 2026
However, not every fan was convinced by Green’s bold assessment, as some questioned how he could make such a statement after spending so many years playing alongside Curry and Klay Thompson.
“Brother you played next to Steph and Klay are you trolling,” a critic wrote.
Brother you played next to Steph and Klay are you trolling…. https://t.co/MKiI6w5S8U
— dj0ssef (@dj0ssef) September 6, 2026
“I assume he just skipped every Steph practice?” a fan remarked.
“The game is different from practice,” one fan chimed in.
Before the injury, Lillard appeared in 58 regular-season games for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2024-25 season, averaging 24.9 points per game while shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc.
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After spending over a year away from competitive basketball while recovering, Lillard is preparing to begin a new chapter with the franchise that originally selected him sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.
After spending 11 seasons with Portland, Lillard moved on to the Bucks for two seasons before ultimately agreeing to a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Trail Blazers.
