PORTLAND, Oregon — A Portland-based creative advertisement agency is teaming up with longtime a Portland Trail Blazers photographer and reporter to showcase unreleased images of former Trail Blazer star, Damian Lillard.
"Dame Was Here" is the name of the art exhibition that KAMP Grizzly curated and showcased at its KAMP Gallery in Northeast Portland.
On Tuesday evening, the ad agency kicked off the opening preview of the exhibition with a question and answer event with Blazers' photographer, Bruce Ely, and Blazers' reporter, Casey Holdahl.
"We couldn't think of two people that actually had documented [Lillard's] journey any better," said Dan Portrait, executive creative director and founder of KAMP Grizzly. "They were really there, the closest to the action."
The exhibition features about 25 iconic images of Lillard's time in the Rose City including the moment after he made a playoff series-winning shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019. There are also more personal moments that feature Lillard spending time with his three children and quiet moments traveling with the team.
"I think my favorite moments are probably different than the average fan," said Blazers' photographer, Bruce Ely. "I think everyone remembers the Houston shot, the Oklahoma City shot and part of the thought that went into this gallery was to make it documentary-style; things that were important to Dame and obviously his family is super important to him."
The photographs are up for auction and all proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Portland.
Earlier on Tuesday, Adidas celebrated Lillard's return by dedicating a basketball court on its Portland campus in his honor.
On Wednesday, Lillard will play against the Blazers with his new team, the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time since he was traded to the Bucks last summer. Lillard played the first 11 seasons of his career with the Blazers and is considered by many to be the franchise's all-time greatest player.
Lillard, 33, is averaging 25.3 points, 6.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds in his first season with the Bucks (32-14), who have the third best record in the NBA and are in second place in the Eastern Conference, three games behind the Boston Celtics. The Blazers, in their first season of the post-Lillard era, have the fifth-worst record in the NBA at 13-33.
The Bucks and Blazers played a game earlier this season, on Nov. 26, 2023, in Milwaukee. Lillard scored 31 points and the Bucks rallied from a 26-point deficit to beat Portland, 108-102.
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