>Lillard,the Oakland, Calif. native and Weber State product who
>was drafted sixth overall by the Blazers, has been tremendous
>from the start. He won Rookie of the Year last season, then
>became an All-Star for the first time and led Portland to an
>unexpectedly-strong season (currently 53-28, fifth in the
>Western Conference) in his second act.
>
>He made the most of All-Star weekend in New Orleans when it
>came to bettering his personal brand, becoming the first
>player in league history to take part in five events. Before
>playing in the game itself, Lillard took part in the slam dunk
>competition, the three-point contest, the Rising Stars game
>and the skills challenge. Comcast SportsNet NorthWest first
>reported that Lillard and Adidas were close to a deal.

sounds like they are locking up a player who is going to be a known star in x amount of years