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Why Blazers’ Damian Lillard has zero regrets about missing season for Achilles injury rehab
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- Why Blazers’ Damian Lillard has zero regrets about missing season for Achilles injury rehab
Why Blazers' Damian Lillard has zero regrets about missing season for Achilles injury rehab appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
This past offseason was basically a reset for Damian Lillard . After suffering his Achilles injury and parting ways with the Milwaukee Bucks , all the stars aligned for him to correct his mistake of leaving the Portland Trail Blazers and return home.
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The franchise icon signed a three-year, $41.6 million contract with the Blazers, an organization that allowed him to blossom into an All-NBA talent through the first 10 seasons of his career. Now that he is back in Portland, Dame has a new outlook on his injury recovery and what the future holds for him.
More importantly, he's grateful and at peace with his decision to sit out the entirety of the 2025-26 NBA season in order to be 100 percent for the start of next year.
"It's going great. I think it's just one of those injuries where you've got to take your time. You know, it takes what it takes," Lillard said of his injury recovery when speaking with Amazon Prime's Allie Clifton recently. "The first couple of weeks, maybe two or three months, is kind of frustrating because you're so limited. But with patience, giving yourself grace, and doing the things necessary to continue progressing, you get to a point where you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel."
Regardless of what injury a player is dealing with, stars like Lillard are always looking to do everything they can to get back on the court. This was Lillard's mindset at first, but he understands the time that goes into recovering from an Achilles injury.
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Although it was a tough decision, Lillard claims he feels "even better" now about his decision to sit out the year after seeing what goes into his rehab and how his body feels entering 2026.
"Just getting further along and seeing that everything is coming back. I think that's the number one concern: 'How am I going to move after this?' So, getting everything back and just getting to the point where I have to get used to unpredictable movements, a little bit of contact, picking up the pace more and more, being up in the air, landing, not thinking about it too much, stuff like that.
"I feel better about the decision to give myself the maximum amount of time. Also, looking at our team and the type of growth that we've had, I know if I'm able to do this and come correct, we'll have a great shot next season."
The 35-year-old star finds himself in a unique situation now that he's back in Portland. Unlike his previous years with the Blazers, Lillard is no longer the focal point of the roster.
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This team is led by young, emerging talents in Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe , which is why Lillard now finds himself in a unique role as a veteran leader of the organization. He will be vital to the overall success of the franchise moving forward, especially since Dame's experience and expertise will help those around him grow and expand their individual games.
Sitting out the entire 2025-26 season is certainly not ideal for Lillard, but he has become a leading voice for the young players on the Trail Blazers and will be ready to go for the start of the 2026-27 season.
