If You’re Really From Oakland, You’re Rooting for Damian Lillard
(AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Guest Post by: Levi Jacobs
Today the Warriors are going to play the Blazers, and as a life long Warriors fan, I don’t know how to feel.
I’ve seen my Warriors through everything. I was a Dubs fan when we won 17 games. That’s not a typo. 17 games. All season. There was a time when we were the worst team in the NBA.
I’m a ravenous basketball fan, but I’m a bigger fan of perfect narratives. Right now there is a story in the NBA that’s better than most. One of Biblical proportions.
Damian Lillard, has Oakland tattooed across his chest. Damian Lillard went to Oakland High.
I don’t know if you know this, but The Golden State Warriors, are not going to play in Oakland next year. They will play in San Fransisco. At the brand new Chase Center.
Dame Dollar represents Oakland more than The Warriors do. In a world where Oakland is losing all its sports teams, and watching tent cities fight for space with new tech money, wouldn’t it be perfect for Oakland’s native son to come home and fuck our shit up? It’s the Star Wars story. It’s what this city deserves.
Look out in Oakland. How many cranes do you see building new condos? Everything that that made this city beautiful is being stripped from us. Why shouldn’t our basketball team be ripped away too?
Damian Lillard’s Oakland chest piece.
I’ll tell you why. And I realize I’m fighting with myself. Anyone who knows me knows that’s all I do.
Oakland is a basketball town. Name a famous basketball player from SF…I’ll fucking wait.
Oakland? Bill Russell. Paul Pierce. Jason Kidd. Gary Payton.
And the man himself, Damian Lillard. The Warriors owe this city something they can never pay back. They owe 40 years of loyalty. From TMC to the heartbreak that was trading Monte Ellis. We were there for them. Why are they not there for us?
Dame Dolla is exactly what we deserve. A part of me hopes he ruins all our plans. A part of me thinks it’s right. A part of me thinks that this is what we deserve. I think if you are really from the Town, you oughta root for Dame. Bring the hate.
Oakland’s disrespected native son, ripping up the Western Conference, the very year that the Warriors disrespect their fan base by abandoning them, that’s some Joseph Campbell level storytelling. It’s hard to know right now what to root for, my blue and yellow as always, or the most biblical 30 for 30 y’all ever seen.
Levi Jacobs is an Oakland based writer and comedian. He runs a monthly comedy show called Casual Sets every first Monday at The Amplifier. He wonders if people realize that comedians write their own bios. He has performed at legendary clubs like Flappers, SF Punchline, The Purple Onion, and Cobb’s. When he grows up, he hopes to be a judge on Top Chef.
