Some players mope. Some hit the panic button. And then there’s Damian Lillard, who practically fist-bumped fate after hearing he’d torn his Achilles. “I literally after I tore my Achilles and I felt it and I was sitting on the floor, I grabbed it and I rolled over and I sat up, and the first thought that I had to myself was like, ‘I’m about to come back from an Achilles.’ That was literally my first thought — like on my kids,” Damian Lillard said with a straight face. You know you’ve got that iron mindset when you’re mapping out your comeback plan before the swelling even sets in.

And as if that wasn’t enough, while the Bucks’ PTs were practically reaching for tissues, Damian Lillard said, “I didn’t cry even when I got by myself. It wasn’t like a prideful thing. My mind automatically went to — I gotta fight for something.” Now that’s the kind of attitude that makes fans chant “Dame Time” like it’s a national anthem.

But here’s where it gets even more fascinating. Damian Lillard didn’t just lace up his rehab shoes and jog off into the sunset alone. He went straight to the Achilles Avengers — Aaron Rodgers, Kevin Durant, and Rudy Gay. “Talking to Aaron Rodgers and KD and Rudy Gay… they all handled it differently,” Damian Lillard shared. Not exactly your usual support group — unless your idea of casual friends is MVPs and NBA legends.

And yes, Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback with the Achilles comeback story that defied every medical journal known to man. Rodgers famously underwent a “speed bridge” surgery and resumed throwing just 32 days after surgery, probably making Achilles surgeons everywhere question their life’s work. By the end of 2024, Rodgers had played all 17 games with the Jets before signing with the Steelers in 2025. If Achilles injuries were game shows, Rodgers would be walking away with the grand prize.

But back to Damian Lillard, who admitted this was “probably the biggest one of my career.” Still, as he so perfectly put it, “If it’s a mental battle, I’m just not gonna lose.” That’s peak Damian Lillard — betting on himself like it’s Game 7.

The Blazers reunion nobody saw coming… Especially this soon

Now, just when you thought Damian Lillard’s story couldn’t take another twist, the Bucks shocked the NBA by waiving him, stretching his $113 million contract over five years. The NBA equivalent of your boss firing you on your birthday — with cake in hand. But Lillard? He went home. Literally.

“First I want to thank Joe and I want to thank Chauncey… It never felt right not being home,” Damian Lillard said. And just like that, Portland’s prodigal son inked a three-year, $42 million deal with a no-trade clause — a rare club that only LeBron James currently belongs to. And yes, with that waived contract money, Damian Lillard will rake in $70 million next season. Not bad for a guy expected to spend the year as the NBA’s highest-paid assistant coach.

“I told him this year he’s going to be the highest-paid assistant coach in league history,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups joked. Can’t say he’s wrong. When asked about his return, Damian Lillard said, “I’m thankful and appreciative of the door being open for me to come back, even with me being hurt.” But as for rushing back to action? Damian Lillard knows better. “My prideful self would be thinking differently, but I think with age, you get wiser… I think to take as much time as possible to make sure I’m right, that’s what I’ll do.”

So while Damian Lillard won’t be torching defenses this season, he’ll be helping mold the Blazers’ young core — Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Yang Hansen, and Donovan Clingan. And let’s not forget the veteran presence of Jrue Holiday. Basically, Dame’s back in the building, clipboard in hand, ready to pass on some of that signature ice-in-the-veins DNA.

And then there’s the heartwarming side. Driving home with his kids after signing the contract, Damian Lillard reflected on coming back to his city. “I got to a red light, and I just turned around and my daughter was looking at me, and I told her… and she was like, ‘Wait, so like we don’t have to get on an airplane to Milwaukee no more?’” If that doesn’t hit you right in the feels, check your pulse.

Let’s not forget — Damian Lillard has defied odds his whole career. Rookie of the Year in 2013. Part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team. Owner of five 60-point games. He’s scored over 19,000 points, buried more than 2,300 threes, and once dropped 71 on the Rockets like it was light work.

And while Portland only won four playoff series during his first stint, Damian Lillard never ran from the grind — even if he briefly chased a ring in Milwaukee. “There are no hard feelings over my separation with the Blazers,” he said. Sometimes, you have to see what’s out there to realize where you belong.

So what’s next for Damian Lillard? He’s aiming for a 2026-27 comeback, at age 36. If Aaron Rodgers can dodge defenders at 41 with a patched-up Achilles, betting against Damian Lillard might just be the worst wager you could make this side of a Ben Simmons three-pointer.

Bottom line — Damian Lillard’s story isn’t over. It’s just taking a halftime break. And if his mental toughness is anything like his logo threes, that Achilles comeback is gonna be nothing short of legendary.