Pioneer Square is becoming Dame Square. At least for an afternoon.
The Portland Trail Blazers are celebrating the return of All-Star point guard Damian Lillard in grand fashion — with a Sunday rally in downtown Portland.
The event, scheduled for Sept. 21, will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at Pioneer Courthouse Square and is open to the public.
It will include a question-and-answer session with Lillard, an “homage to his impact” on the Blazers and the Portland area and a family-friendly street fair, complete with food, music, games and giveaways.
The Blazers selected Lillard with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2012 NBA draft and he played his first 11 seasons in Portland, earning Rookie of the Year honors and nine All-Star berths. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023, departing as the franchise leader in multiple statistical categories, including points (19,376), three-pointers (2,387) and scoring average (25.2 points per game).
But Lillard suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in an Eastern Conference playoff game in April and the Bucks waived him in July, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. Lillard elected to return to the Blazers, signing a multi-year contract.
He’s expected to miss the 2025-26 season while rehabilitating his injury, but his return to Rip City was a boon for a rebuilding organization that has not reached the playoffs since 2021.
—Joe Freeman is a senior writer at The Oregonian/OregonLive covering the Trail Blazers and NBA. Reach him at 503-294-5183,jfreeman@oregonian.com,@BlazerFreeman or@freemanjoe.bsky.social.
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