Earlier this week, Damian Lillard said that he “won’t play in meaningless NBA games if Portland can’t make the playoffs.” This apparently didn’t sit well with of all people, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, who called Lillard a “spoiled and entitled brat” on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ on Thursday. The former quarterback and current ESPN analyst, known best for running out of the back of the end zone in his first career NFL start while playing for the 0-16 Lions, had this to say according to NBC Sports Northwest:
“If what we’ve experienced over the past three months has taught us anything, there is no such thing as meaningless anymore,” Orlovsky said. “We can’t take things for granted anymore. And there’s a different between have to and get to. And Damian Lillard would have the opportunity to get to play basketball again. Because there’s people out there who have to go do things— frontline workers and nurses and doctors. They have to go to work and they have to work more hours and pay less because of what we’re dealing with. Damian Lillard would have the opportunity to get to play basketball and I would hope and challenge him in his mindset that the last few months has changed that and that he’d take that opportunity to go and perform— to go and compete and get the opportunity to play basketball again. Some people don’t have a choice anymore. They have to go do things. It is not an option.
Orlosky continues,
“How can you sit there and go, ‘Nope, I’m not going to play, but understand that there’s people out there that don’t have that choice. They have to go to work. They have to go earn their money. I struggle with sitting here and going ‘you don’t come off, in some way, a spoiled and entitled brat by saying I’m not going to play.”
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Well, this didn’t sit too well with Lillard:
Entitled and spoiled? Mf watch yo mouth. My background , family, and character couldn’t be further FROM entitled and spoiled. I said what I said! https://t.co/yM30aU5xl2
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) May 28, 2020
You sat out ya whole career basically 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/yM30aU5xl2
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) May 28, 2020
Orlovsky then semi-apologized for using the term “entitled and spoiled brat:”
No you’re right I was wrong to use that phrase at the end. That’s my bad. My comment started with saying I hope we all realize nothing is meaningless anymore. And if it’s about protecting loved ones-100%. I shouldn’t have said entitled or brat and that’s on me and my bad.
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) May 28, 2020
Naturally, the comment section was up for grabs and this one was the winner:
Back peddle faster dan… your almost out of the end zone
— Diggy (@bdig89) May 28, 2020
Lillard had the final word and didn’t seem too eager to accept any apology:
Go back on TV w @realskipbayless and tell all those viewers that. And tell skip I can answer his question as well “what have I done” since y’all got so much to say. And I don’t know either one of y’all. https://t.co/4EPHPyEnaB
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) May 28, 2020
If there’s any consolation for Orlovsky here, this type of publicity may be the perfect promotion for his upcoming ESPN 30 for 30:
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