SALT LAKE CITY – Former Weber State and current Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard received his seventh career NBA All-Star nod and first since 2021.

On Thursday, February 2, Lillard was honored as a Western Conference reserve for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. This year’s All-Star Weekend will be hosted by the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. It’s Utah’s first time hosting the event in 30 years.

RELATED: Instant Replay: Damian Lillard Becomes Portland Trail Blazers’ All-Time Leading Scorer 

Lillard has been selected as an All-Star seven times, including four consecutive selections from 2018-21.

Making his 7th #NBAAllStar appearance… Damian Lillard of the @trailblazers.

Drafted as the 6th pick in 2012 out of Weber State, @Dame_Lillard is averaging 30.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 7.4 APG for the Trail Blazers this season. pic.twitter.com/c54Nm0jy6i

— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) February 3, 2023

Western Conference All-Star Reserves

Lillard was one of seven players named to the Western Conference All-Star bench. Jazz forward Lauri Markkaen also received an All-Star selection, his first.

• Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
• Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies)
• Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings)
• Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
• Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers)

Starters

The Western Conferences were previously announced in January. Those starters will be:

• Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors)
• Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks)
• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets)
• Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)

This season, the former Wildcat is averaging 30.7 points per game on 46.4 percent shooting, including 37.2 percent on three-pointers. He also averages 4.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 0.8 steals in 36.0 minutes per contest.

Lillard ranks No. 6 in the league in scoring.

About Damian Lillard

Before his time as a professional, Lillard was a standout player for the Weber State men’s basketball team. He left Weber State as the program’s second-leading scorer all-time.

Lillard played for the Wildcats from 2008-12.

He scored 1,934 points during his time as a Wildcat. His jersey was retired by the university in 2017.

Lillard was drafted by Portland with the 6th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Last season, Lillard was recognized as one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players in history. He was honored during halftime of the league’s 2022 All-Star Game.

He’s played his entire professional career in Portland.

Follow @kyleireland