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Portland Trail Blazers
Aug 20, 2025 4:49 PM EDT
Superstar point guard Damian Lillard’s tenure ended unexpectedly with the Milwaukee Bucks after his contract was waived and stretched following a torn Achilles suffered during the opening round of the NBA playoffs.
The 35-year-old veteran subsequently signed a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers after a two-year stint with Milwaukee.
Lillard’s return to the court won’t come during the upcoming season as he recovers from the injury, but when he does, it will be with the franchise where he established himself as a star and spent the first 11 seasons of his career.
He was still productive last year as he enters the later stages of his career, averaging 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from three-point range.
Ex-Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (0)
Damian Lillard Celebrates Portland Trail Blazers Return
While Lillard spends the offseason rehabbing, he took time to celebrate his return to Portland with a personal announcement.
The franchise legend revealed he would be releasing a new colorway of his signature shoe with Adidas—the Dame X—called the D.O.L.L.A Red.
Lillard announced on X, “The ‘D.O.L.L.A. Red’ colorway of my #DameX signature shoe is out now! Perfect colorway to celebrate my return to #RipCity.”
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Dame X Becomes Lillard’s 10th Signature Shoe
The Dame X is Lillard’s tenth signature shoe with Adidas, and he’s been partnered with the company since his NBA debut in 2012.
He recently signed a lifetime contract extension with Adidas after his initial 10-year, $100 million deal was signed in 2014. The Dame X originally released on July 3, with the “Dame’s Light” colorway debuting first.
Lillard’s Second Trail Blazers Stint to Emphasize Leadership Over Workload
Aside from releasing a shoe dedicated to his return to the Trail Blazers, Lillard’s second stint with the organization will look much different than his first. His veteran presence will be just as valuable as his production, and he won’t be expected to shoulder the entire load.
Lillard spent eleven incredible seasons with the Trail Blazers, yet never had the supporting cast to reach the NBA Finals, securing just four playoff series wins with the franchise.
Over 769 regular-season games for Portland, Lillard averaged 25.2 points, 6.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per night while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from deep. He collected seven All-Star selections as a Trail Blazer, along with seven All-NBA honors.
About the Author
Gavin Groe
Trending News Writer, Athlon Sports
Gavin Groe is a contributing writer to the Athlon Sports trending and breaking news team.