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Portland Trail Blazers sign Damian Lillard’s cousin Keljin Blevins

By Austin Carroll

BLOOMINGTON, IN - NOVEMBER 09: Evan Fitzner #55 of the Indiana Hoosiers fights for position against Keljin Blevins #2 of the Montana State Bobcats during the game at Assembly Hall on November 9, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. The Hoosiers won 80-35. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - NOVEMBER 09: Evan Fitzner #55 of the Indiana Hoosiers fights for position against Keljin Blevins #2 of the Montana State Bobcats during the game at Assembly Hall on November 9, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. The Hoosiers won 80-35. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The Portland Trail Blazers have officially expanded the training camp roster from 18 to 19 players by signing Keljin Blevins for the preseason.

Another contender has entered the ring! Keljin Blevins is now the fourth player the Portland Trail Blazers have signed to a training camp deal, signaling an intense battle for the final roster spot in the near future.

President of basketball operations Neil Olshey was the first to announce this news during a press conference at today’s media day festivities.

As a four-year senior, Blevins averaged 11.8 and 5.9 rebounds per game for the Montana State Bobcats. He struggled to find a consistent shot from deep however, only hitting 28.4 percent of his shots from 3-point range.

Coming out of a smaller school without time certainly not on his side, it isn’t particularly surprising Blevins went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Blazers were quick to scoop Blevins up and add him to their Summer League roster. His appearances would be relatively limited though, as he would go on to total just five points, three rebounds and a steal in 28 minutes of play.

But what he’s lacked in on-court opportunities, Blevins has a lot going for himself in off-court narratives. He is in fact Damian Lillard’s cousin, and has developed a strong emotional connection with the Portland Trail Blazers’ star guard.

After Blevins lost his father in his rookie collegiate season, he began to lean on Lillard for support.

"“Dame just stepped in and helped me when I needed it. It was a big thing for me. I can focus more on basketball and school and not so much worry about my mom and how she was doing. Everything has been taken care of. It’s a big part of why me and Dame are so close. He’s my guy, man. Love him to death.”— Keljin Blevins"

Keeping the family close is the quintessential Portland Trail Blazers move. The team has forged their own metaphorical family over the last few years of intense battles, and they only stand to benefit even further by adding players like this to the preseason campaign.

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It remains to be seen if Blevins can earn himself a future with the Blazers (or the NBA at all) following this training camp, but at the very least he serves as a heart-warming story worth rooting for until the real fun begins on October 22.