Damian Lillard, the legendary NBA point guard known for his ice-cold precision on the basketball court, is famously scared of historic statues and monuments.
This specific condition is known as automatonophobia, an irrational fear of human-looking figures such as wax museum characters, lifelike sculptures, and animatronics.
While “Dame Time” strikes fear into his opponents, the athlete himself experiences a profound unease when faced with the “stone stare” of historical icons like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr.
This surprising vulnerability adds a layer of human complexity to one of the most fearless competitors in sports history.
Understanding Automatonophobia and Damian Lillard’s Anxiety
While the public perceives Damian Lillard as a nearly unflappable athlete, his internal experience with automatonophobia provides a fascinating look into the psychological diversity of high-level performers.
This condition goes beyond a simple dislike; it involves a visceral reaction to objects that mimic human life.
What Is the Medical Definition of Automatonophobia?
Automatonophobia is characterized as a persistent and irrational fear of anything that falsely represents a sentient being. For Lillard, this includes a wide array of figures, ranging from wax museum characters to large-scale monuments and even certain animatronics.
The fear often stems from the brain’s inability to reconcile the lifelike appearance of an object with its lack of actual life, a phenomenon often discussed in psychological circles as the uncanny valley.
Why Do Lifelike Figures Trigger a Fear Response?
The triggers for this anxiety often involve the “history element,” where the sheer weight of a figure’s historical importance combined with an exact, life-sized replication becomes overwhelming.
Lillard has noted that he is not particularly bothered by contemporary, everyday objects, but rather the hyper-realistic sizing of figures that lived long ago.
This suggests that the psychological weight of the past, rendered in unmoving stone or wax, creates a specific type of distress that contemporary art does not.
What Is Damian Lillard Scared of Most?
To understand the specifics of Lillard’s fear, one must look at the categories of objects that consistently cause him distress. His anxiety is highly specific, targeting figures that are meant to be revered or remembered through large-scale physical representation.
The Specific Fear of Historic Statues and Monuments
The primary focus of Lillard’s phobia is the “stone stare” of massive historical icons. He has admitted that statues of figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and George Washington give him an unsettling, “funny feeling”.
This fear is so pronounced that it influenced his travel plans during his time in Washington D.C., where he expressed a desire to see the capital’s landmarks but felt physically unable to face the statues themselves.
The Unsettling Nature of Religious Iconography
Beyond secular history, Lillard has expressed significant discomfort with religious monuments. He specifically cited a statue of Jesus with raised hands located in a Lake Oswego cemetery as a consistent source of anxiety.
The combination of a cemetery setting and a large, lifelike religious figure creates a concentrated trigger that he prefers to avoid whenever he is driving through that region.
Why Contemporary Objects Do Not Trigger His Fear
An interesting nuance of Lillard’s condition is that it does not apply to all inanimate humanoids. He has clarified that he is not bothered by modern, ordinary objects that don’t carry the weight of history.
The fear is inextricably linked to the “history element”—the idea that a person who was a massive figure in human history is being replicated in an exact, life-sized form in the present day.
The Weber State Incident: Where the Phobia Began
Every profound fear usually has a point of origin, and for the man behind “Dame Time,” that moment occurred during his college years at Weber State University. This single event transformed a mild discomfort into a lifelong psychological hurdle.
The Fateful College Field Trip of 2010
In the summer of 2010, while playing college basketball for Weber State, Lillard attended a field trip to a wax museum. Up until that point, he may not have fully realized the extent of his sensitivity to lifelike figures.
However, the structured environment of the museum, designed to immerse visitors in history, provided the perfect conditions for a traumatic psychological experience.
Inside the Final Room of the Wax Museum
The peak of the incident occurred in the museum’s final room, which featured hyper-realistic, life-sized wax replicas of some of history’s most prominent figures. This room included figures such as:
- Barack Obama
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Malcolm X
- Oprah Winfrey
- George Washington
- Abraham Lincoln
The Psychological Impact of Hyper-Realistic Sizing
It wasn’t just the presence of the figures that unnerved Lillard; it was the atmosphere of the room. The museum played thematic music intended to set a somber or respectful mood, which instead intensified his anxiety.
The combination of the music, the dim lighting, and the “hyper-realistic sizing” of the statues caused him to want to flee the building immediately. Since that day, he has refused to go near wax figures.
A Public Revelation: When the World Learned About Dame’s Fear
For several years, Lillard’s phobia remained a private matter, known only to those close to him. It wasn’t until his transition into professional basketball that the public became aware of this unique personality trait.
| Date | Event Description | Context |
|---|---|---|
| November 2012 | The First Tweet | Ahead of a game against the Washington Wizards, Lillard admitted he was too afraid to visit D.C. monuments. |
| November 2012 | Clarifying the Fear | After fans questioned him, he posted a follow-up tweet specifying his fear of “historic statues”. |
| March 2013 | Media Expansion | Lillard discussed his automatonophobia in a detailed interview with USA Today. |
| March 2013 | Television Appearance | He appeared on NBC Sports Network’s “The Crossover” to explain the “funny feeling” statues give him. |
The Lincoln Memorial and the History Element
One of the most prominent examples of Lillard’s phobia involves the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. As a world-famous landmark, it represents exactly the kind of massive, historical, and lifelike monument that triggers his automatonophobia.
Why the “Stone Stare” of Abraham Lincoln Is a Trigger
The Lincoln Memorial is a towering representation of the 16th President, and its scale is a major factor in Lillard’s distress.
The “stone stare” of such a massive figure from the distant past creates a sense of unease that is difficult for him to articulate beyond a “funny feeling”.
To an automatonophobe, the statue isn’t just art; it is a giant, unmoving presence that feels eerily close to being alive.
The Connection Between Historical Distance and Anxiety
Lillard has explained that the further back in history a figure is from, the more unsettling their statue becomes. This “history element” suggests that the passage of time adds a layer of mystery or “otherness” to the figure, making a life-sized replication feel unnatural.
Seeing someone who shaped the world centuries ago standing “life-sized” in front of him creates a psychological disconnect that triggers his flight response.
The Lake Oswego Jesus Statue: a Local Nightmare
Even when he is away from the historic monuments of the nation’s capital, Lillard encounters triggers in his everyday life. One of the most frequently mentioned examples is a specific religious monument in Oregon.
Driving Past the Raised Hands at the Cemetery
Lillard has noted that driving past a cemetery in Lake Oswego consistently “freaks him out”. The specific cause is a statue of Jesus depicted with his hands raised.
The combination of the religious figure’s pose and its location in a cemetery creates a concentrated environment of “human-looking” inanimate objects that Lillard finds difficult to process.
How Regional Landmarks Affect His Daily Routine
This local trigger highlights that automatonophobia isn’t just something that affects Lillard during vacations or road trips; it is a part of his regular environment.
While he can avoid wax museums, he cannot always avoid the statues that populate public spaces or private cemeteries along his commute.
This ongoing battle with his environment shows the persistence of the phobia and how it remains a factor in his life long after the initial 2010 incident.
The Ultimate Irony of Damian Lillard’s Legendary Career
As Damian Lillard continues to build a legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the Portland Trail Blazers, a unique and humorous irony has emerged among the fanbase. His greatness may eventually lead to the very thing he fears most.
Will the Portland Trail Blazers Build Him a Statue?
In the world of professional sports, the ultimate honor for a franchise legend is the unveiling of a custom bronze statue outside the home arena.
Given Lillard’s statistical dominance and his “cold-blooded” performance in clutch moments, he is a primary candidate for such a tribute in Portland.
Analysts and fans often point out that the team’s greatest player is terrified of the medium that will likely be used to immortalize him.
The Paradox of a Fearless Leader and an Inanimate Fear
There is a poetic contrast between Lillard’s on-court persona and his private phobia. On the hardwood, he is the “Cold-Blooded Closer” who thrives under pressure and never blinks in the face of elite competition.
Off the court, however, he is unnerved by the “stone stare” of inanimate figures. This paradox makes him one of the most relatable superstars in the league, proving that even those who seem invincible have human fears that they must navigate.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Damian Lillard’s Phobia
Is Damian Lillard scared of all statues?
No, he has specified that he is mostly bothered by historic statues and massive monuments rather than contemporary objects.
Can he go to museums at all?
He has stated that he refuses to go near wax figures specifically because of the 2010 museum incident.
What was the first statue he tweeted about?
He mentioned being afraid of the monuments in Washington D.C., specifically referencing Abraham Lincoln and MLK.
Does he have a name for his fear?
The medical term is automatonophobia, though Lillard usually describes it as getting a “funny feeling” or being “freaked out”.
Has he ever tried to overcome it?
While he hasn’t detailed a formal treatment plan, his public discussions indicate he generally manages the fear by avoiding known triggers.
Conclusion
The narrative of Damian Lillard’s automatonophobia offers a compelling look at how even the most elite athletes possess relatable vulnerabilities.
While the world honors “Dame Time” for its unmatched clutch performance and fearlessness, recognizing the man behind the jersey—along with his specific anxiety regarding historic statues—deepens our appreciation for his professional achievements.
It is a unique irony that a leader capable of staring down the world’s best basketball players prefers to avoid the “stone stare” of an Abraham Lincoln or MLK monument.
Ultimately, Lillard remains a legendary powerhouse, proving that true greatness involves navigating personal human fears while successfully dominating consistently at the highest levels of professional competitive basketball sport.
