Damian Lillard opens up on his ‘lonely’ life after splitting with his wife and being traded to the Bucks… but insists he doesn’t regret his ‘big boy decision’ to move from Portland to Milwaukee

Damian Lillard opens up on his 'lonely' life after splitting with his wife and being traded to the Bucks... but insists he doesn't regret his 'big boy decision' to move from Portland to Milwaukee

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Despite an end to his marriage and leaving the place he called home for over a decade, Damian Lillard says he doesn’t regret the ‘big boy decision’ he made to leave the Portland Trail Blazers for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lillard was traded to Milwaukee last September in a mᴀssive and complicated deal that involved three teams, eight players, and multiple draft picks.

Not only has Lillard had to deal with a new city, he’s also been going through a separation from his wife, Kay’la, since she filed for divorce in October.

‘It’s definitely lonely because I’m such a family guy,’ Lillard told Sports Illustrated recently. 

‘My life is my family. After games, I would come out and my whole family would be back there. My kids coming out of the playroom. My mom, my brother, my cousins lived there, you know what I mean?’

Damian Lillard says he doesn't regret his move to Milwaukee despite missing his Portland life

Damian Lillard says he doesn’t regret his move to Milwaukee despite missing his Portland life

Since his trade, Lillard has been going through a separation with his wife Kay'la

Since his trade, Lillard has been going through a separation with his wife Kay’la

‘My best friends live in Portland,’ Lillard said. ‘So I would come out, we would go to dinner. They might come to my house. 

‘After practice, I might go to my mom’s house and just chill. That’s how my life was. So, I mean, I’m fine because I’m grown. But it’s definitely lonely. I’m filled up by those people.’

Since the move to Milwaukee, Lillard admits that he doesn’t ‘have much of a life’. 

‘Bro, [I] go to practice, go home, watch boxing, play video games,’ Lillard said of his daily regimen. ‘Man, I type in [boxing website] FightHype on YouTube 100 times and be praying for something new to be on there.

‘Seriously, I don’t have much of a life. But that’s what comes with making a big boy decision. You got to be down for that and figure it out.’

While his life away from the court isn’t much to enjoy, his on-court efforts with Giannis Antetokounmpo have the Bucks third in the Eastern Conference.

‘It’s been a real transition,’ he said. ‘Being in the same situation for 11 years, deciding to move on from that, wanting a chance to win. 

‘And then coming here playing for a first-time coach [Adrian Griffin] and him being new to the team. So it isn’t like I came to Milwaukee and everything was already established. It was a completely new staff.

But on the court, his partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo has been successful

But on the court, his partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo has been successful

‘Obviously, trying to figure out me pairing with Giannis and being a part of this team. It’s a process and I think that’s been an adjustment for both of us. 

‘He’s used to playing a certain way. I’m used to playing a certain way, and I think we’ve had moments. I just think it’s still a work in progress.’

The Bucks hired Doc Rivers as their head coach in January following Adrian Griffin’s dismissal after 43 games on the job.

Milwaukee is in the third spot in the Eastern Conference with a 37-21 record, and visit the Hornets Thursday in Charlotte

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