Damian Lillard on Winning 2024 NBA All-Star Game MVP: I Told Myself to Be Aggressive

Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard spoke about his in-game mindset after he was named the MVP of the 2024 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night.

“I just told myself I’m going to be aggressive, I’m going to keep firing,” Lillard told reporters after the game. “I saw a couple go in, and after that it was just like ‘I’m going after it.’ So, that was it.”

Lillard helped the Eastern Conference earn a 211-186 victory over the West by scoring a team-high 39 points in just under 28 minutes on the court. The 33-year-old didn’t hesitate to fire away from behind the arc, as 23 of his 26 field goal attempts were three-pointers.

He connected on 11 of his 23 triples, adding three rebounds and six assists to complete his award-winning performance. Lillard showed off his limitless range all night long, including a half-court shot in the third quarter.

It was an eventful weekend for the eight-time All-Star, as he also earned a victory in Saturday’s Starry Three-Point Contest by putting up a score of 26 points in both the opening round as well as the final round of the competition. Lillard won the contest in consecutive years, becoming the first player to achieve that feat since former Toronto Raptors forward Jason Kapono in 2007 and 2008.

After winning MVP on Sunday night, he revealed that his plan was to win both the Three-Point Contest as well as the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP award..

“That’s going to be what my intentions are this weekend, and I was able to do it,” said Lillard.

Now, he’ll return to Milwaukee and help the Bucks continue their playoff push alongside fellow superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. In 51 starts prior to the All-Star break, Lillard averaged 24.6 points and 6.7 assists per game on 42.3/34.1/92.5 splits.