Damian Lillard Is a Devotee of Skating, And the Rink at Southeast Portland’s Oaks Park His Preferred Venue

One month after the sudden, disappointing end of the Trail Blazers' season, Damian Lillard issued an invitation on Twitter: "Who hittin oaks park this Friday night?"

Fans of the All-NBA point guard, sneakerheads and blog boys all knew what this question meant: Dame was going roller skating.

Lillard is a devotee of skating—old-school, four-wheeled, DayGlo gliding, with the rink at Southeast Portland's Oaks Park his preferred venue. Sometimes the events are promotional, like last December when he dropped a "Glow in the Park" colorway of the Adidas Dame 4 shoe, but Lillard has been casually announcing skate nights since his rookie year. "If you not really gone come and bounce with us then don't fake the fonk lol," he wrote on Facebook in 2013.

Lillard attempted to explain the skating bug to a press scrum last year.

"I've literally had times where I rented out the skating rink and it was me and three other people," he said. "I plug my phone up and just skate. I enjoy rolling around out there listening to the music. Kind of reminds me of my childhood."

Lillard did not, in fact, appear at Oaks Park that Friday night in May—being a new dad creates unexpected time pressures. But it's comforting to know he's out there, a song on his phone, waiting to call everybody onto the rink for a free skate.

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