Bucks' Damian Lillard details 'lonely' side of drastic change after Trail Blazers trade

Even Damian Lillard admits to knowing the trade that sent him from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Milwaukee Bucks would be hard on him personally. 

He spoke about as much during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated and detailed just how hard it's been and specifically the magnitude of how lonely it's felt being without his family.

Lillard, who began by talking about how tough it is being away from his kids, offered some insight into the night-and-day differences, beginning with not having his family around.

"Being away from my kids is tough. In Portland, my life was set up. My mom was down the street; my brother was the other way down the street. My sister was down the street. My kids in school. Just my whole life was set up perfectly right there. It was a great situation. So just leaving that behind alone is a lot. And then you add the basketball side to it and that is what it is," Lillard said.

Missing out on times when his family or friends would come over or they'd go to dinner, Lillard told Sports Illustrated it's been tough because he's "filled up by those people [his family]."

The drastic change from the city where he spent his entire career since being drafted No. 6 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft is tough to read, but it also shows how tough life can be for professional athletes, especially those amid a drastic change in where they call "home."

Lillard was asked what his life was like in Milwaukee, and he gave about as blunt and honest of an answer as imaginable.

"Bro, go to practice, go home, watch boxing, play video games. Man, I type in [boxing website] FightHype on YouTube 100 times and be praying for something new to be on there. Seriously, I don’t have much of a life. But that’s what comes with making a big boy decision. You got to be down for that and figure it out," Lillard told Sports Illustrated.

The 33-year-old guard has been an integral component alongside fellow star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the team's success to begin the year. 

He's averaging 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists while shooting 42.5 percent from the field. 

The Bucks are 38-21 currently, and while they've gone through a bit of turmoil with the coaching change that led to Doc Rivers taking over, they sit just one game back of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.