“I’m happy that it happened here.” Damian Lillard wins the 3-Point Contest in his Weber State jersey

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard won the NBA three-point contest on Saturday night, and he did it wearing a Weber State Jersey. Lillard’s love for his four years in Ogden, Utah, is well known. He went from an underdog to a superstar during that time.

Lillard has had a long and successful career since Weber State, but he hasn’t forgotten Utah. When asked about having the NBA All-Star Weekend in Utah, Lillard said, “It’s fun for me. I think I always make my way back here because I spend so much time here. I know so many people here, so many great memories here. To be able to be in my 11th year and to be a seven-time All-Star and to have this experience here where a lot of the people that saw me kind of blossom from the beginning, for them to see me at this point and at this level of my career and as a man, it’s pretty special. The people that I run into I met when I was 17, and they’re looking at me, and I’m almost twice the age that I met them at. It’s pretty cool.”

When Dame decided to participate in this year’s 3-Point Contest, he agreed to pay tribute to his college and his “second home” by wearing a custom Weber State jersey.

Wearing that uniform full of nostalgic value, Lillard won the 3-Point Contest. It came down to the last shot, and in classic Damian Lillard fashion, he came up clutch. The entire Salt Lake City crowd was behind him, cheering loudly anytime he stepped onto the court. Utah fans hold Lillard in a special place as a superstar with a strong connection here. Vivint Arena erupted when Dame hit his last Moneyball to outscore Buddy Hield.

On winning the Contest in the place where it all started, Lillard said, “You know, when I touch down here in the summer, whether I’m going back for an alumni game or just going to train, or this time, I feel the love. I know that I’m welcome here. It’s a second home for me. Sometimes that’s what it takes for an experience to be what it’s supposed to be. I feel like this is how it was supposed to happen. I’m happy that it happened here.”