Damian Lillard is keeping things honest about his road back to the court. The Portland Trail Blazers star confirmed he expects to be ready at the start of next season, giving fans the clearest update yet on his recovery from a torn Achilles, per TalkBasket. Speaking with iShowSpeed during the streamer’s Portland stop, Lillard didn’t mince words when asked about his comeback.
“Probably start of next season,” he said. “That Achilles, you can’t f*ck around with that.”
Lillard, 35, suffered the injury on April 27 while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs. A few weeks later, Milwaukee waived him, stretching the final $103 million left on his contract. By July, he signed a three-year, $42 million deal to return to Portland, the city where he became the face of the franchise for over a decade.
Speed meets Dame in Portland
The update came in a memorable setting. Speed began his day greeting fans virtually from a tour bus in Happy Valley before moving through crowds at a local diner, where he flipped pancakes and cracked jokes in his alter ego “John Bobby.” By evening, the streamer linked up with Lillard at GEM Fitness in Tigard.
Inside the private training facility, the two compared career timelines, joking that Lillard was already in the NBA while Speed was still in grade school. Afterward, Speed praised the city’s energy, telling Lillard, “Portland was lit. The most people this whole tour. Portland really be turnt.”
For Lillard, the workout was about more than connecting with fans. He has consistently emphasized that he intends to return as the same player, not a diminished version of himself. Appearing earlier this summer on The Sideline with Andy Katz, he made it clear: “I’m not returning as a shell of myself. I plan to return to be myself.”
The eight-time All-Star also reflected on the rising number of Achilles injuries around the NBA. He suggested that the speed and intensity of today’s game, paired with the explosive demands on athletes, may play a role. “The game is getting super fast and you dealing with like extremely high-level athletes,” he said.
For now, Rip City will have to wait until next season, but Lillard has left no doubt about his mindset. The next time he suits up, he plans on being the same Dame Time Portland has always known.
