When the NBA In-Season Tournament was announced, many didn’t give it a chance from the start. But with the semifinals set to get underway soon, a lot of fans have changed their viewpoints.
Players have taken it more seriously than expected, and it has led to some thrilling games and moments. On Thursday, the Milwaukee Bucks will play the Indiana Pacers in Vegas, with Damian Lillard going for his first trophy in his first season with the team. But he has his eye on something else.
Damian Lillard on winning the NBA In-Season Tournament Cup: “I’ll just take the money”
Damian Lillard: “I’ll just take the money”
Lillard was asked what winning the tournament would mean to him, and he was pretty clear that he’s more about the prize money than the trophy.
“I mean, I wouldn’t expect a banner. I think whoever wins it is going to go down in history as the first person to win it. I think that’s the beauty in that. But I’ll just take the money. Give us what we came here for, and that would be great.”
He isn’t alone in that sentiment. Even his Bucks teammate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was surprised to learn about the prize money after their win over the New York Knicks. Lillard mentioned that he would use the money to help some people in need of assistance.
“I ain’t just going to go blow it or nothing. But I’ve got a few people that could probably use some assistance, and I think it would feel like it’s not coming directly out of my pocket. I’d probably look out for a few people.”
It’s not chump change either. NBA players get paid very handsomely throughout the regular season, but money is money. These are the payouts for every player in the tournament.
- Win Tournament: $500,000
- Win Semifinals: $250,000
- Win Quarterfinals: $100,000
The money seems to be a big motivating factor, and it has led to tournament games being more competitive than expected. Speaking on the notion that the In-Season Tournament has a playoff feel, Lillard wouldn’t go that far.
“No, I wouldn’t say that. Because we all know the season is going to continue, regardless of what happens, I don’t think it’s the same. When you get to the Playoffs, this is it. Somebody got to go home. In this situation, we’re going to go home but we’re going to go home to more games and there’s still opportunity to be there in the end.”
Lillard also took a slight dig at the eccentric court designs we’ve seen during tournament games. He says he’d “like to see better designs for the courts” next season.
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