ESPN Criticized for Posting Misleading Damian Lillard Interview Video

The microphone, court and Milwaukee Bucks uniform just didn’t look quite right to a number of eagle-eyed fans.

Damian Lillard lived up to the hype in his debut with the Bucks on Thursday night. The seven-time All-Star recorded a game-high 39 points along with eight rebounds and four assists in a 118–117 win over the visiting 76ers. 

Lillard notched Milwaukee’s final five points, including a clutch three-pointer, to clinch the victory. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, leading to a record-high scoring total for a player making his Bucks debut. 

Afterward, ESPN’s SportsCenter social media feeds posted what initially appeared to be a postgame interview with Lillard. But several things looked strange to fans upon seeing the footage. 

See the clip for yourself: 

DAME DIDN'T COME TO MILWAUKEE TO WASTE HIS TIME 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/vw6Coa6JG0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 27, 2023

First, the microphone was extended toward Lillard rather than a reporter holding it while standing in front of him. Also, it was an ESPN microphone, but the Sixers-Bucks game was televised on TNT. 

Additionally, the court didn’t look like the Bucks’ regular home floor—especially the center-court logo. The jersey Lillard was wearing isn’t the same as what Milwaukee wore in Thursday’s game. And the audio of Lillard’s quote, “I didn’t come here to waste my time,” was later used in J. Cole’s 2021 song, “p u n c h i n ‘ . t h e . c l o c k.”

Based on the microphone and court, several observers figured out that the interview was old footage taken from 2020 when Lillard played in the Orlando bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans weren’t pleased at ESPN’s use of the doctored footage:

Why use an old clip from the covid days, digitally put him in a Bucks jersey and pretend he just said that?

— Chris Apenbrink (@Apenbrink) October 27, 2023

Sports center just tweeting AI generated clips now. That’s not even a real bucks jersey design https://t.co/9yar0wlAm9

— plugsupporter (@driftIessarea) October 27, 2023

This is an old clip that has been altered to make it seem like he just said this. Even still, Dame in the personification of standing on business. As a Blazer fan, sad to see him go, but happy to see him go to a contender and getting the proper attention he deserves.

— Kegness (@Kegness_) October 27, 2023

Literally the video from the bubble a couple of years ago lol

— Lex (@lexholl12) October 27, 2023

TF is this? AI or 2K?

SportsCenter really tweeting this out? Smh https://t.co/bXOxHE4yiE

— sqr (@squaresense) October 27, 2023

To be fair, the @SportsCenter account didn’t explicitly state that the Lillard footage was taken after Thursday’s game. However, the clip is implicitly presented as if Lillard made those remarks following his Bucks debut. 

Posting an old clip repurposed to look as if it’s new is a questionable look for ESPN’s social media gurus, and fans called out the network for creating confusion by using 3-year-old footage with no explanation.

In response to the ongoing backlash, ESPN later issued a statement, shared by Sports Media Watch, attempting to explain the company’s intention behind the post before acknowledging and accepting the criticism.

“We occasionally look to connect sports moments of the past with contemporary imagery and storylines as part of our social content. While it was never our intention to misrepresent anything for fans, we completely recognize how this instance caused confusion.”