Damian Lillard & Tissot Are the NBA’s Most Stylish Timekeeping Team
Not only is Damian Lillard one of the best three-point shooters in the game, but he’s also got incredible timing. In 2014, the Portland Trail Blazers point guard clinched the first round of the Western Conference finals for his team with a buzzer-beating shot against the Houston Rockets. Then, in 2019, he did it again, sinking an incredible 37-footer that sealed the first round of the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City. With a reputation for making clutch shots and a burgeoning music career under the alter ego Dame D.O.L.L.A., it’s easy to see how he earned the nickname “Dame Time.”
“Before the game, our coach he had told us like, if we win this game, I’ll let y’all go home for Christmas,” Lillard explained in a press conference in 2024, offering the origin story to a now-iconic celebration. “I hit the shot and we end up winning the game. So, when I came back to the bench everyone was like excited and I don’t know it just came to me. I was like ‘Dame Time.’”
In 2021, Lillard cemented his reputation as the league’s timeliest player by inking a deal with Swiss watchmaker and official NBA timekeeper Tissot. “A watch is one of my essentials,” said Lillard at the time. “I like attractive, accessible watches that adapt to every style. That’s why I love Tissot. I can wear a Tissot to the gym, while travelling from one city to another, or to go out for the evening.”
“It’s about bringing top-notch Swiss craftsmanship to every wrist, not just the privileged few.”
Damian Lillard
Known for his off-court style as much as his on-court flair, Lillard’s partnership with Tissot has deepened as he has continued to make his mark on the game, including winning an Olympic gold medal with Team USA, joining the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, and breaking the Blazers’ record for points in a game. In early 2024, Lillard added watch design to his growing resumé with the release of the Tissot PRX Damian Lillard Special Edition, a customized version of Tissot’s best-selling integrated bracelet design.
“A watch that speaks to my style and values,” Lillard said at the launch of the Swiss-made timepiece featuring Tissot’s high-end Powermatic 80 movement. “High-quality, down-to-earth, and inclusive. It’s about bringing top-notch Swiss craftsmanship to every wrist, not just the privileged few.” Starting with a gold PVD case and bracelet, Lillard made the watch his own with subtle additions, such as a black dial embossed with the number zero — a reference to his jersey — and his stylized D monogram on the seconds hand. In a hat tip to his fans, he included “DAME TIME” and the acronym YKWTII — as in “You Know What Time It Is” — engraved on the flange. In a more personal touch, the engraved initials DDKK pay homage to his three children, Damian Jr., Kali, and Kalii.
The last year has been a tumultuous one for Lillard. Following an Achilles tendon injury, he was forced to sit out the final games of the regular season in 2025 and remained sidelined for the fall tip-off. Despite this, Lillard remains an active part of both of his teams, working behind the scenes with the Blazers and prominently featuring in the reveal of Tissot’s new game-changing shot clock. In addition to a coordinated drone show over the Santa Monica Pier, Tissot’s launch campaign for the new technology, which will be used in all 29 NBA arenas, included a montage of Lillard’s most famous buzzer-beating moments. It was a powerful reminder of why Lillard is considered one of the most entertaining players in the game. He may be sitting out the start of the season, but Dame Time is far from over.
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