Getty Damian Lillard sent out a tweet minutes after Paul Allen's death was reported.
Damian Lillard sent out a tweet after news broke of Paul Allen’s death. Allen owned both the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers and had a major impact in the Pacific Northwest. Allen was battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the time of his passing. Lillard did not reference Allen by name, but the tweet came just minutes after Allen’s death was announced.
“Rock bottom will teach you lessons that mountain tops never will…” Lillard tweeted.
Lillard’s mentions were full of fans offering their condolences to the Blazers guard. According to ESPN, Lillard met with Allen in January of 2018 to discuss how to turn around the franchise.
It’s not unprecedented for Allen to meet with marquee players of his franchise. He is also the owner of the Seattle Seahawks and frequently has sit-downs with key players, a source said.
This was the first time Lillard and Allen have spoken in such a capacity, however. The meeting, which sources described as a productive, open forum to share opinions and express concerns, could also lead to more sit-downs in the future.
During the gathering, Allen also sought answers.
Allen acknowledged the roster imbalance but questioned why the team had suffered through an inconsistent first half. Lillard issued a heartfelt vote of confidence for head coach Terry Stotts, sources said.
Allen spoke glowingly of Lillard after the guard signed an extension in 2015. Allen told the Portland Business Journal that Lillard possessed the qualities he looked for when making a long-term financial investment in a player.
“Dame is both and extraordinarily talented player and a quality individual,” Allen told the Portland Business Journal in 2015. “So when you make those big financial commitments, you need to have both those aspects there. I think if you see the work he’s done in the community and so forth, he’s just a completely well-rounded player and he’s still got room to grow in all aspects.”
The Blazers released a simple but powerful tweet on Allen’s death.
“We miss you. We thank you. We love you,” the Blazers tweeted.