Damian Lillard Opens Up About Rehab, Return, and Retirement

Portland Trail Blazers Guard Damian Lillard recently opened up about his torn left Achilles tendon rehab, Trail Blazers return, and NBA retirement in a recent interview with Casino.ca. Read on for Lillard’s interview with the Canadian casino affiliate site.

Damian Lillard Opens Up About Achilles Rehab

Lillard has been happy as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers since 2025. Lillard, now 35, rejoined the Trail Blazers, with whom he played from 2012 to 2023, following a two-year stint with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lillard’s apparent happiness about returning to Portland, Oregon, is extremely obvious, and for the right reasons. He’s a nine-time NBA All-Star, most of which were from his tenure in Portland, with the exception of the most recent nomination in 2025 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

He told Casino.ca in an exclusive interview, “It means a lot because a big part of my legacy is loyalty … Obviously, spending 11 years to start my career in Portland and never wanting to leave Portland until things happen in professional sports. I was on a different team for two years, but never in my heart did I really want to be away from here.”

For all of the things that took place, and for me to be able to come back and be a part of this organization again and be reunited with my family and friends and my kids that have been in Portland the last couple years, it’s just brought a lot of joy and happiness to my life.”

His use of the word “legacy” stood out. Not only did he refer to his play on the court and his support for multiple charities, such as the Lillard Foundation, Elite Youth Camps, and Special Olympics, off the court, but also to his overall personality.

Lillard Opens Up About Portland Trail Blazers Return

Lillard didn’t stop there. He opened up about his Trail Blazers return in July 2025. He suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during Game 4 of the Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers in April 2025. He sustained the injury just days after recovering from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.

Lillard Opens Up About NBA Retirement

Lillard won’t make his much-anticipated return to the court this season, but he’ll come back next season. The extended timetable may be extremely painful for fans, but this is the most serious injury he has suffered in his 14-year NBA career. He previously suffered an abdominal injury that sidelined him for 10 days.

As a 35-year-old who will turn 36 on July 15, Lillard’s torn Achilles recovery isn’t a simple process. He appeared to better understand fellow NBA stars, such as Boston Celtics Forward Jayson Tatum, who struggle with the emotional toll of injuries. The NBA’s players can develop mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.

Although the Trail Blazers’ rebuild is ongoing, a work in progress can also describe the new-look team. The team’s rising stars, such as Forward Deni Avdija, Guard Shaedon Sharpe, etc., offer comfort to the fans for the time being.

He has never won an NBA title, but his goal is to win an NBA championship. It’s unclear if he’d win it all with the Trail Blazers, but a win like this would imply his faithfulness to the team, along with his inner drive to succeed. He doesn’t have a clear timeline of when and how he’d retire with the Trail Blazers, but he plans to retire as a Trail Blazer.