Damian Lillard Named Finalist for 2022-23 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award

The 2022-23 season didn’t go completely as planned for Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. Though, his efforts are likely to have him in the running for a few of the NBA’s end-of-season awards. A list of finalists for one has come, as the NBA announced 12 finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.

Other finalists include Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers), Udonis Haslem (Miami Heat), Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks), Derrick Rose (New York Knicks), Grant Williams (Boston Celtics), Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Aaron Gordon (Denver Nugets), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) and Damion Lee (Phoenix Suns)

As noted, the award seeks to highlight players who exemplify selflessness and leadership. No stranger to those types of adjectives, Lillard won the award in 2020-21 — earning 1,012 points and 40 first-place votes — and finished fourth in the voting in 2019-20.

Lillard, whose role as a “mentor and role model” proved vital to development on a team that opened the 2022-23 campaign as the seventh-youngest across the Association.