I still remember exactly where I was during that 2012 NBA draft – crammed into my college dorm room with three other basketball-obsessed friends, our tiny TV flickering with the bright lights of the Prudential Center. We had pizza boxes stacked like Jenga towers and arguments flying about who would go first. Anthony Davis was the consensus, of course, that unibrow destined for greatness. But the real debate, the one that had us pounding the floor in disagreement, was about who would emerge from that class to claim the Rookie of the Year crown. It’s funny how time gives you perspective. Back then, it was all about potential and hype. Now, a decade later, the question isn't who they were, but who they've become. It makes you wonder: who won the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year and where are they now?
The answer, as any fan from that era will tell you, was Damian Lillard. It wasn't even particularly close. The kid from Weber State, drafted sixth by the Portland Trail Blazers, put the league on notice from day one. He wasn't just good; he was cold-blooded. I'll never forget his first game-winner against the New Orleans Hornets – just pure, unshakable confidence. He averaged 19 points and 6.5 assists that year, running away with the award and embedding himself into the heart of Rip City forever. That 2012 class was stacked with talent – Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, Draymond Green – but Lillard had a different kind of aura. He played with a chip on his shoulder, a quiet intensity that I've always been drawn to. He wasn't the most athletic, but he was, and still is, one of the most clutch.
Thinking about that rookie season takes me back to a specific kind of basketball passion, the kind I also see in other leagues. It reminds me of a piece I read about a heartbreaking loss in a different sport, where a star player gave everything but still fell short. The reference mentioned that "Alas’ tournament-leading scorer Leo Ordiales scored 12 points in their home-leg heartbreak." That line has always stuck with me. It’s a stark, simple statistic that tells a story of immense effort met with crushing disappointment. In a way, that’s the flip side of the Lillard story. For every rookie who ascends to stardom, there are countless others whose careers are defined by moments of near-glory, by scoring 12 hard-fought points in a game that ultimately ends in heartbreak. Lillard avoided that particular narrative, but the shadow of potential unfulfilled hangs over every draft class.
So, where is Damian Lillard now? Well, he’s no longer in Portland, that’s for sure. After 11 legendary years, the "Lillard Time" era in Rip City came to an end last summer with a blockbuster trade that sent him to the Milwaukee Bucks. It was a move that shocked the league and, I have to admit, broke my heart a little. As a fan, you become attached to these narratives of loyalty, and Lillard was the last of a dying breed in that regard. But the business of basketball waits for no one. Now, he's teamed up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, forming one of the most terrifying offensive duos the league has ever seen. He's chasing a ring, and honestly, after everything he gave to Portland, I hope he gets it. He's 33 years old now, but his game has aged like a fine wine. The logo-range threes are still falling, and that killer instinct in the fourth quarter is as sharp as ever. He’s a future Hall of Famer, no question, and his journey from that 2012 Rookie of the Year to an NBA superstar is one of the most compelling stories of his generation.
But what about the others? Anthony Davis, the number one pick, has a championship ring with the Lakers, though his career has been a rollercoaster of dominant play and frustrating injuries. Bradley Beal is on a max contract, now trying to find his footing with the Phoenix Suns. Draymond Green, the defensive heart of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, has four rings but also a reputation for… let's call it extreme competitiveness. It’s fascinating to trace these paths. Some, like Lillard and Davis, have lived up to and exceeded their draft hype. Others have carved out valuable, if less flashy, careers. And many more have faded away, their names becoming trivia answers, their careers echoing that "home-leg heartbreak" of Leo Ordiales—a moment of brilliance that ultimately couldn't sustain a legacy. The 2012 class was a tapestry of triumph and what-ifs, a reminder that winning Rookie of the Year is just the first chapter, not the conclusion. For Damian Lillard, that first chapter was a promise of greatness, and the subsequent chapters have been a masterclass in delivering on it, even if the final page of his story is now being written in a different city, under a different set of lights.