Everyone knows that NBA stars listen to all kinds of music, whether it’s walking into the arena, out on the court, or headed to the bus, and the Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard is certainly no exception. Sam Amick of the Athletic recently profiled the music choices of several NBA stars, including Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Vince Carter, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lou Williams, and Danny Green. Naturally, Lillard, a hip-hop artist off the court, enjoys listening to his own music, but before games, he prefers to keep it low-key to maintain his focus.
As for Lillard’s musical preferences when it comes to his hoops preparation, he agrees with Mitchell about the value of keeping it even keel. And while he’s deliberate with his playlist during those few hours before heading to the arena, Lillard does not wear headphones once he hits the court.
“I’ve always listened to calm music,” Lillard continued. “Before my NBA career (during his high school days in Oakland, Calif., and in college at Weber State), the most hyped kind of music I would listen to before games is J. Cole, and he doesn’t make that kind of music.
Lillard acknowledges the influence music can have in terms of game preparation, noting that after the death of his cousin, there is music he cannot listen to if he’s getting ready for a game.
You can read more about the music choices of NBA players here.