Damian Lillard’s talent is nothing new, but his defiance, resilience, and determination to leave the NBA on his own terms, while still at the top of his game, are worth celebrating. Are we overreacting? He deserves it.
At 36, and after 18 months on the sidelines following an Achilles tendon rupture, the All-NBA guard returned to the court on Wednesday night for the Portland Trail Blazers, the team he left in the summer of 2023 for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Expectations were high, as fans were not only eager to see him return but also wanted to know whether he could still perform at the same level as before. He quickly dispelled those doubts, scoring 25 points in 24 minutes (6 of 10 from three-point range) as the Trail Blazers thrashed the Phoenix Suns 124-83.
“I felt good, although, as I’ve been saying, I’ve been feeling like this for months. I suppose some people might have had doubts because they hadn’t seen me; I hadn’t been on the court or in front of the crowd,” he says.
As expected, Lillard did not lack support at the Moda Center, where he was greeted with a huge ovation before addressing the fans from centre court. “I’ve received a lot of love. The fans have shown me great affection. It’s no secret what the relationship is between us, the fans and the city of Portland,” he stresses.
Ja Morant is in awe of Damian Lillard
We thought Lillard looked good, but his teammate, Ja Morant, was literally impressed watching him play. That is how he explains it. “It’s incredible: the guy hadn’t played for 18 months and yet he steps onto the court and performs at the level he showed today. It’s something special, honestly,” he concludes.
Let’s recall that Lillard signed a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Blazers in July 2025 after two seasons with the Bucks. Previously, he had spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Oregon organisation.
(Photograph by IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)