Damian Lillard congratulates Jerrick Harding on becoming Weber State men’s basketball’s all-time leading scorer

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard greets fans before the team’s NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, in Salt Lake City. | Rick Bowmer, AP

SALT LAKE CITY — Damian Lillard is without a doubt the most recognizable basketball player in Weber State history, although he’s just fourth on the school’s all-time leading scorer list thanks to an injury he sustained during his college days and the fact he left Ogden after his junior season for the NBA.

As of Thursday night, the player atop the scoring list is Wildcats senior guard Jerrick Harding, who scored 44 points in Weber’s 70-66 win over Sacramento State to pass Jeremy Senglin.

“It’s a big deal, you know, especially with a lot of people that came before him, so I’m just really happy for him, and congratulations to him.” — Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard

Lillard was in town Friday as his Portland Trail Blazers took on the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena (Weber State athletic director Tim Compton and head basketball coach Randy Rahe met with him on the court before the game), and although he hasn’t yet had a chance to personally congratulate Harding, he expressed before the contest how impressed he was with the Wildcat’s accomplishment.

“It’s a big deal, you know, especially with a lot of people that came before him,” Lillard said, adding that he saw highlights from Thursday’s game, “so I’m just really happy for him, and congratulations to him.”

Rick Bowmer, AP

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard hugs his college coach Randy Rahe, from Weber State, before the Blazers’ NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, in Salt Lake City.

Lillard said he and Harding talk on occasion, as Harding will sometimes reach out to the five-time All-Star with questions. Lillard said Friday that it’s fun for him to see players after him have a great deal of success at Weber State.

“When you see all the success that mid-major players have had going into professional careers, you see that you’ve inspired a lot of really talented players to not feel like they’ve got to go to these major universities and bigger schools to where they might not play,” Lillard said. “They go to these smaller schools and they can have the kind of impact that he’s had. You love to see it.”

Lillard said the NBA has become much more friendly to mid-major players, at least in part because “they’ve been overlooked and they come into the league and they can hang — man strength, man mentality, and you’ve had to learn you’re not coming from a high school game.”

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