If irony could lace up sneakers, it would be named Damian Lillard. Here’s a man who has dropped 71 points in a single game, who has made playoff defenses look like folding chairs, and yet, in 2025, the internet is in a fun rage because someone at NBA on ESPN forgot a vowel in his name. Forget zone coverage or double-teams, apparently, the deadliest opponent in Lillard’s career is spellcheck.

The scene played out on Instagram, innocently so. NBA on ESPN posted a carousel of photos: Damian Lillard boxing, sweating, grinding his way back toward health. The caption? “Damian Lilliard’s grinding to get back healthy 👀🧪 (via @damianlillard).” And just like that, the internet’s attention wasn’t on his workout form or recovery timeline. It was rather on the extra “i” squatting awkwardly in the middle of his name. And Dame’s response, well, was classic.

He didn’t pull up with any PR statements or angry rants. Just a six-word dagger, that was enough to silence everyone: “Spelling my name wrong is crazy.“ And just like that, you could feel the eyebrow raise through the screen. It was the perfect intersection of petty and precise, the kind of social media moment that instantly gets screenshotted and passed around faster than a highlight dunk. But of course, behind the laugh, there’s a bigger picture.

Damian Lillard is more than a viral comment, rightly so. He’s a nine-time All-Star, a future Hall of Famer, and, as of now, back with the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year, $42 million deal after a stint with the Milwaukee Bucks. It’s the kind of return that would normally dominate headlines. But this time, it’s sandwiched between memes and captions gone wrong. His new contract is as unique as his shot selection.

$14 million annually, a player option in the 2027-28 season, and a no-trade clause that gives Dame more control than most politicians have over their own re-election campaigns. But here’s the twist: despite signing the deal, he’s expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season recovering from a torn Achilles. That means Portland is essentially paying for patience, banking that a fully healed Dame is worth more than a rushed return. From a basketball standpoint, it’s a gamble, but a calculated one.

Even if he never rediscovers peak “Logo Lillard” range, a post-rehab Damian still brings gravity to an offense, the kind that bends defenses and opens lanes for teammates who suddenly look like All-Stars when sharing the floor with him. Portland’s front office clearly thinks this is worth the wait, especially with a young roster in flux. And then there’s the chemistry factor.

What’s in a name, Lillard?

Damian Lillard’s return, even in street clothes this season, reshapes the culture in Portland’s locker room. Young guards will get minutes, but they’ll also get daily lessons from one of the sharpest basketball minds in the game. This is leadership as an investment, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s beloved in Rip City in a way few athletes ever are in their home markets. And while the viral name mishap is funny, it also highlights something about Lillard that’s been true his whole career.

He notices details. The same player who can dissect a defense in two dribbles is also the guy who will spot a typo at 50 paces. And in this case, he wasn’t about to let it slide. That meticulousness has fueled his rise. Since being drafted sixth overall in 2012, he’s averaged 25.1 points, 6.7 assists, and shot nearly 37.1% from deep over his career. He’s arguably hit more walk-off playoff shots than some franchises have in total, and he’s done it with a blend of poise and defiance that makes him both a nightmare to guard and a joy to watch.

His time in Milwaukee was short but intense, yes, a Finals push that ended just shy of a title, followed by the injury that shifted everything. Returning to Portland wasn’t just about comfort. It was about unfinished business. The contract structure gives him control, the city gives him love, and the year off gives him the chance to come back as more than just a scorer, maybe even as the bridge to the franchise’s next era.

For now, the clips of him boxing and sweating it out are the only “game footage” we’ll see until late 2026. But if you know Damian Lillard, you know he’s playing the long game. And if ESPN or anyone else forgets how to spell his name in the meantime? Well… they’ve been warned.