“The most beautiful game in NBA history” – Damian Lillard puts Kyrie Irving ahead of Steph Curry on his list of most skilled players

Portland Trailblazers star Damian Lillard has ranked Kyrie Irving at the top of his list of the most skilled players, placing him ahead of other future Hall of Famers like Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook.

During his guest appearance on the "It Is What It Is" show, when asked to name the three top players he has competed against, Lillard responded:

“Steph, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook.”

Lillard showered Irving with praise.

“Kyrie really different,” Lillard said. “He’s the most skilled. … He got the most beautiful game in NBA history.”

Lillard's response is intriguing, as he favored Irving over Curry, who is widely regarded as the greatest shooter of all time with exceptional dribbling skills, and Westbrook, celebrated for his versatility as the triple-double king.

Lillard has experienced playoff matchups against both of these players. His Portland Trailblazers suffered playoff defeats to the Golden State Warriors on two occasions since 2016, and he notably made the series-winning shot against the OKC Thunder in 2019.

However, Irving indeed has exceptional skills with the ball. In an Instagram story posted in July by LeBron James, he said Irving had the best dribbling skills “ever.”

Did Damian Lillard deserve to be included in the NBA 75th Anniversary team?

The inclusion of Lillard on the NBA's 75th Anniversary team came as a surprise to many. Certain fans feel that Lillard may not have achieved a sufficient level of accomplishment to warrant his place on the team.

Lillard boasts a resume that includes six All-Star selections, one appearance on the All-NBA first team, four appearances on the second team and one on the third team. He's also a former Rookie of the Year.

While he has all these accolades, Lillard has never reached the NBA Finals.

Lillard referred to making the NBA 75th Anniversary team as the "greatest honor" of his career, especially since he is still an active player.

"It's a special honor, probably the best honor of my career so far to be considered one of the 75 best in a 75-year history," Lillard said in an interview with NBA.com. "That's a hell of an accomplishment, a hell of an honor. And I’m still playing."

Fans who questioned Damian Lillard's inclusion in the NBA 75th Anniversary team argued that there were notable omissions who deserved a spot, such as Dwight Howard, Dikembe Mutombo, Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Alex English and Klay Thompson.

Nevertheless, Lillard's remarkable ability to perform in clutch moments is unquestionable, and he is considered one of the all-time greats when it comes to closing out games. There’s a reason he’s called "Dame Time."