Most players in the league are prideful about where they're from. Across the NBA, this season's 30 opening-night rosters featured 100 international players representing 37 different countries and territories around the globe. The Association has become a truly worldly league, as teammates have come to enjoy the blending together of various cultures and backgrounds.

View photos Damian Lillard is proud of his Oakland roots. (Photo courtesy adidas). More

And yet, there's perhaps no player more prideful of his hometown than Portland Trail Blazers franchise point guard Damian Lillard. Hailing from Oakland, Calif., Lillard credits the city with molding him into the poised player he's become, and he looks for any opportunity he can to honor his hometown along the journey of his career.

The most evident example would be the sizable "Oakland" tattoo dominating his chest. Featuring a detailed branch graphic, the tattoo takes cues from the Oakland tree logo that adorns the street signs of every neighborhood within the city limits. His upbringing in the tough Brookfield sector of "the town" would go on to shape his approach and mentality, which have carried him this far to the league.

"Oakland makes you tough," Lillard said. "It prepares you for pretty much anything. If you can make it here, it doesn't get much scarier."

As he uses that preparation and continues to try to lead his Blazers toward a seemingly improbable return to this year's NBA playoffs – after losing four of the team's five starters from a year ago – Lillard will be closing out the season in his second adidas signature sneaker. It's one of the most detailed and truly signature shoes of the year, with inspiration pulling from his love for his hometown.

View photos Lillard's signature adidas sneaker. (Nick DePaula) More

"We wanted to make sure that we got more of his story into his product," said Brian Foresta, adidas Basketball's vice president of design. "We always walk the fine line between what's going to enhance performance and what's going to inspire him during those key moments. The Oakland pattern comes directly from the Oakland tree city logo."

The logo's branch graphic takes over the entire outsole of the shoe, utilizing the same font from Damian's tattoo, and also featuring a mid-foot call-out to his Brookfield neighborhood, where he learned to hone his game at an early age.

"Growing up here was a huge help, because I used to come to this park and play against older kids," Lillard said. "They try to push you around and they don't take it easy on you."

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