Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard went to bat for former teammate Caleb Swanigan on Instagram after an account questioned how he let himself go.
Damian Lillard has no time for judgment on social media.
The Trail Blazers guard unloaded on an Instagram account that posted side-by-side pictures of former Portland center Caleb Swanigan.
On one side, Swanigan was pictured as an NBA player. On the other, Swanigan was leaving a recent court appearance looking very different.
The easy answer to the question posed is “2020,” but that’s beside the point. Lillard addressed the post in the right way by cautioning people against judging Swanigan without knowing what he’s dealing with in his life.
“If you gone post this shit with real concern that’s cool. But don’t ask ‘how does one go from this to that’ … he clearly having real life issues. That’s how,” Lillard wrote. “You don’t know WHAT it is he’s going through to cause a drastic change. If you gone be supportive then do that but don’t ask no shit like that like it’s not possible when you a naturally big dude and go down a dark road.”
Damian Lillard understands Caleb Swanigan has gone through hard times
Swanigan was the No. 26 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He played 75 games in his career, most recently suiting up for 20 with the Blazers during the 2019-20 season. He last played on Mar. 10, 2020.
Since then, Swanigan’s path has turned rocky.
The 23-year-old was arrested in December and recently took a plea deal on misdemeanor possession of marijuana, according to local Fort Wayne news channel WANE. His 180-day jail sentence was suspended by the judge, but he was ordered to complete a substance abuse evaluation.
As Lillard and Portland prepare for the playoffs, the only thing to do is hope Swanigan can get his life back on track.