Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard during an NBA game.
Damian Lillard’s latest move is off the court, but it is still big news in Portland. The Trail Blazers star has officially announced his partnership with Honorable Mention, a new sports lounge at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland, giving fans a new Damian Lillard business venture to track while he continues rehabbing the torn left Achilles that has kept him out for the 2025-26 season. The timing matters because the lounge just opened to the public on Friday, March 6, and local coverage of the launch ramped up on Monday, March 9, alongside social posts tied to the opening.
Heavy
Lillard first amplified the project on Instagram, and Bleu Magazine also featured the launch in a lifestyle/business piece centered on the venue. Local Portland TV station KATU then added more specifics, including Lillard’s own statement and the list of partners involved.
Key Points
Damian Lillard is a partner in Honorable Mention, a new sports lounge inside the Benson Hotel in Portland.
The venue opened on March 6, 2026, during Lillard’s rehab from a torn Achilles.
Lillard is not expected to play this season, but he did win the 2026 NBA 3-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend.
Damian Lillard Announces Partnership with Honorable Mention, a Sports Bar in Portland
According to KATU, Lillard partnered with Urban Restaurant Group and local business leaders including JR Duperrier, Dr. William Johnson, David Lucas and Mark Byrum on the project. Honorable Mention is located at 309 S.W. Broadway inside the Benson Hotel and is positioned as an elevated sports lounge rather than a standard game-day bar. KATU also reported business hours of 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
Lillard framed the project as more than a side hustle. In comments carried by KATU, he said, “Portland is my home,” while connecting the lounge to community, food, safety and helping build the city back up. That is the real hook here: this is not a random endorsement stop during rehab, but a Portland-rooted investment from a franchise icon who returned to the Blazers last summer.
Damian Lillard Injury
Lillard’s basketball timeline still centers on his Achilles recovery. ESPN reported when he re-signed with Portland in July 2025 that he tore his left Achilles in late April during Milwaukee’s first-round playoff series against Indiana, underwent surgery in early May, and would use the 2025-26 season to rehabilitate. NBA player updates have continued to list him as out, with Portland not expecting him to play this year.
That is why this Portland business news lands cleanly right now. Lillard is still in the public eye, but not because of an imminent return date. Instead, he has been visible through rehab and selective appearances, including his win at the 2026 State Farm 3-Point Contest on February 14, where NBA.com noted he became a three-time champion despite not playing in NBA games this season.
His rehab is active, but his season outlook has remained unchanged: this is recovery and public visibility, not a sign of a late-season comeback.
Damian Lillard Stats
Even with this season lost to injury, Lillard’s recent production still explains why anything attached to his name draws attention. His official NBA player page lists his 2024-25 averages at 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds. Basketball Reference lists his career scoring average at 25.1 points per game, while ESPN’s reporting on his Portland return noted he ranks first in franchise history in points (19,376) and 3-pointers (2,387) and second in assists.
That stat profile matters for this story because Honorable Mention is clearly being marketed around Lillard’s stature as more than a former Blazer. He is still one of the biggest sports names in Portland, and still central to the franchise’s long-term identity even while sidelined.
Damian Lillard Trade
The big trade story is no longer about a new move on the horizon. It is about the arc: Portland traded him to Milwaukee in 2023, Milwaukee waived him in July 2025, and Lillard then returned to the Blazers on a three-year, $42 million deal. ESPN reported that contract includes a player option for 2027-28 and a true no-trade clause, a major detail that sharply changes the trade conversation around him during rehab.
That no-trade clause is one of the most useful context points in this story. It means Lillard has significant control over his next chapter, and it reinforces why Portland business ventures like Honorable Mention feel aligned with his current reality. He is rehabbing, back home, and building locally.