Star Wars Day: NBA stars and their Star Wars counterparts

NBA stars and their Star Wars counterparts: Damian Lillard = Han Solo

Elite sharpshooters don’t waste time. They don’t stand and wait for the defense to close on them. They don’t hesitate, considering whether it is worth it to take this shot or if that is a bad idea. They go fast, they go by feel, and they let it fire. Shoot first, ask questions later.

That’s the basketball mantra of All-NBA guard Damian Lillard, who routinely pulls up from just inside half court to rain down impossible 3-pointers on hapless defenders. Only Stephen Curry can hit long-balls with more regularity, and even Curry doesn’t have Lillard’s swagger.

His Star Wars counterpart is easily Han Solo, who lives his life as a smuggler with a similar confidence and swagger. In a tense situation, he stays calm and shoots first himself, not waiting for things to get more difficult. Whether it’s a Rodian bounty hunter sent by Jabba the Hutt or a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close out a playoff series, these two shooters don’t mess around.

They are also famous for their sidekicks. Lillard and CJ McCollum are in their eighth season together as the Portland Trail Blazers’ backcourt. On the galactic side of things, Han Solo and his Wookie copilot Chewbacca are inseparable as they spend time as smugglers, rebel fighters and even official diplomats over the years together.