Damian Lillard at the All-Star Game, playing on Team Giannis Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: 2023 All-Star Game draft foreshadows Damian Lillard trade

By Colum Dell | Last updated 9/27/23

On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks became the surprising winners of the Damian Lillard sweepstakes, agreeing to a three-team trade to acquire the seven-time All-Star.

The blockbuster deal virtually ensures that two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was vocal that he wouldn't sign an extension if the Bucks couldn't give him a chance to win another title, won't leave Milwaukee any time soon. As part of the agreement, the Bucks are sending three-time All-Defensive First-Team selection Jrue Holiday to Portland.

While the Bucks will miss Holiday's defense, it's a necessary and relatively easy decision to part with him for Lillard. And ironically enough, this isn't the first time Antetokounmpo has "chosen" to play with Lillard instead of Holiday.

Last season, Antetokounmpo was voted as the captain for February's 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah, along with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. Since 2018, the All-Star Game has used a playground-style draft format to determine teams and with his first pick for the 2023 draft, Antetokounmpo selected Lillard despite Holiday being available.

Watch this moment from last season’s All-Star Draft.

Giannis picks Dame with his first pick instead of Jrue. LeBron smells fish and calls it out. pic.twitter.com/I1nQW9uwfj
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) September 27, 2023

It was an unexpected move considering the previous two times Antetokounmpo was an All-Star captain, he had a Bucks teammate on his roster, including in 2020 when he drafted Khris Middleton with his first pick of the reserve round.

After the Lillard selection was made, James sarcastically called out Antetokounmpo for changing his tune about being loyal to his teammates and coincidentally, his joke proved true in retrospect.

“Giannis has changed this weekend,” James said. “You know, he always talked about loyalty, being loyal, and all that stuff, right? So I knew for sure his first pick was going to be Jrue [Holiday], so I don’t know what’s going on with Giannis.”

It's worth mentioning that after Wednesday's deal was announced, Heat star Jimmy Butler took to Instagram claiming that Milwaukee tampered to land Lillard. Could this be what he was referring to? It seems unlikely, but if that were the case and the Bucks were found to have tampered, any potential punishment from the NBA probably wouldn't impact their title odds.

Lillard will make his regular-season Bucks debut against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 26.

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