Newly acquired Portland Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard faces a long road to recovery from his torn left Achilles tendon. However, the nine-time All-Star isn’t looking for sympathy as he draws inspiration from multiple high-profile athletes who have overcome similar setbacks.
Lillard suffered his Achilles tear during Game 4 of the Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on April 27. The injury led Milwaukee to waive him and stretch the remaining $113 million on his contract on July 1 to sign center Myles Turner in free agency.
The stunning decision set the stage for Lillard’s return to Portland, where he spent his first 11 seasons, on a three-year, $42 million deal. As the 13-year veteran gears up to serve as a mentor for the young Western Conference squad, he reflects on the early stages of his rehabilitation process.
Damian Lillard Outlines Support From Kevin Durant, Aaron Rodgers, and Rudy Gay Amid Achilles Rehab
During Monday’s introductory press conference for his second Trail Blazers stint, Lillard recounted the moment he realized he tore his Achilles and his thought process in the immediate aftermath. The 35-year-old underscored his mental resolve and determination to return to form.
“After I tore my Achilles and I felt it and I was sitting on the floor, I grabbed it and I rolled over and I sat up, and the first thought that I had to myself was, ‘I’m about to come back from an Achilles,'” Lillard said.
“… I think everybody else had more pity for me than I did. I had the [physical therapists] about to cry and all that stuff. I didn’t cry. Even when I got by myself, I didn’t cry. And it wasn’t a prideful thing; my mind automatically went to, ‘I gotta fight for something.’ I know it’s gonna be a long journey, I know it’s a challenge mentally, and I kind of shifted right there to what I knew was coming.”
Lillard then discussed how he leaned on four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant, and ex-17-year NBA veteran Rudy Gay for advice.
“Then it was just kind of learning more about it,” Lillard said. “Talking to Aaron Rodgers and KD and Rudy Gay, all these guys that experienced it and handled it differently. But I never had that moment of pity or any of those things with none of my injuries.”
Damian Lillard on tearing his Achilles:
“Everybody else had more pity for me than I did. The PT is about to cry…I didn’t cry. Talking to Aaron Rodgers and KD and Rudy Gay, all these guys that experienced it. I never had that moment of pity with none of my injuries” pic.twitter.com/r5DllVPkRF
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) July 22, 2025
Given his age and relatively small stature, concerns abound regarding whether Lillard can eventually regain his star-caliber production, like Durant did after tearing his right Achilles in 2019.
Fortunately for Lillard, he enters a low-stakes situation on an upstart Portland team coming off a 36-win campaign. Despite the Trail Blazers going 23-18 over the season’s second half, they aren’t expected to contend in the congested West anytime soon, giving Lillard plenty of time to work his way back gradually.
