Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has been nominated for the 2018-19 NBA Cares Community Assist Award, it was announced on Wednesday. Lillard is up for the season-long version of the award; he previously won the monthly version of the award for his work in November with his RESPECT program.
Damian Lillard is an advocate for driving generational change for high-need, Portland high school students. Seven years after Damian launched the RESPECT program at Parkrose and Roosevelt High Schools, Roosevelt reported their highest graduation rate in 10 years, reduced fighting and increased overall attendance, while Parkrose HS had 5,000 fewer unexcused absences, reduced tardiness and increased participation in extracurricular activities.