Damian Lillard Tells Mother To Quit Her Job After Signing First NBA Contract

Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers Gina Johnson NBA

By Joel Brussels , Parent Herald Sep 22, 11:35 am

Photo: (Photo : Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Damian Lillard told his mother to quit her job as soon as he could. The Portland Trail Blazers star said in an interview with ESPN's Marc J. Spears on "Andscape" that when he signed his first NBA contract in 2012, he went to his mother's job to help her quit.

Lillard, who signed a four-year, $13.8 million rookie deal, said that he first went to his mom's job and asked her to quit as he was a millionaire now. He helped his mom pack up her desk, telling her they hadn't been doing you right. Lillard said they have been on his mom's ass about every little thing, and they weren't returning.

Lillard did not specify in the interview what his mother, Gina Johnson, did for a living. He previously said that during his senior year at Weber State, his mom was struggling and living in an apartment in San Leandro, California, with her sister.

Lillard's family relocated to Portland after he was drafted

During their phone conversations, Lillard said he would try to pick his mom up by telling her he would get drafted into the NBA soon. He revealed they would talk on the phone at least every other day, and his mom would tell him how she had felt sick.

The NBA star recalled they were on her about her production and threatening to fire her. He said that she was stressed out and struggling at work with her health, and he was constantly telling her things like the Boston Celtics and the Utah Jazz were at practice today to try to pick up her spirits.

Lillard was eventually drafted sixth overall by the Trail Blazers, and once he signed the rookie contract, he went to his mom's work to help her quit. They went to her job in San Ramon, walked in, and said they quit. Johnson said in an interview with "Court-Side Moms" back in 2020 that she and much of his family had relocated to Portland with Lillard from California.

Lillard has built up generational wealth for his family

The Olympic gold medalist has frequently spoken of his upbringing in a violent neighborhood in Oakland, California. He told ESPN back in 2010 that he chose to go to Utah-based school Weber State, partly to get out of Oakland.

Lillard said he has now built up generational wealth to support his family for many years to come. He is in the midst of a four-year, $176 million contract, and he just signed this off-season a two-year, $122 million extension with Portland, the richest in NBA history.

He has already made $191 million in career earnings, and if he finishes his contract extension, he will have made half a billion in the NBA, according to Insider.