There are hardly any players in the NBA, if any, who have had as eventful a past few months as Damian Lillard. The 34-year-old point guard has been riding a rollercoaster of emotions ever since he suffered from a blood clot issue toward the end of the season. After missing a handful of games, Dame made a historic return from the medical condition, only for him to suffer even more.

As soon as Lillard returned to the court, he devastatingly tore his Achilles tendon, ruling him out for an indefinite period. If this wasn’t enough, just when everyone thought that the dust was settling, the superstar guard was cut from the Milwaukee Bucks team out of nowhere.

One person who saw all of this unfold right before his eyes was his partner at Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The All-NBA forward was alongside Dame through all this despite a few rumors saying that he was involved in Lillard’s exit from Milwaukee. Nonetheless, amid all these adversities, Lillard found a way to make a statement about conquering whatever was thrown at him.

If you’re not aware, the 34-year-old point guard is in rehab and working on his comeback to the court as a free agent. So, to get that extra bit of motivation to make a speedy recovery, Dame has decided to remind himself that he’s a warrior through his latest tattoo. Damian Lillard’s latest ink isn’t just a showpiece; it’s a statement. The former Milwaukee star has revealed a detailed artwork on his left thigh, which features him and an ancient Greek warrior, Achilles.

It showcases Damian Lillard shooting an arrow at Achilles, creating a breathtaking visual and also a metaphor for his journey back from these back-to-back setbacks. While the fans loved Dame’s new ink, there was someone else who also appreciated the tattoo. Any guesses? Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The veteran forward took it to Instagram to appreciate Dame’s new ink. “💯💯💯🔥” Antetokounmpo wrote on his story on IG. 

Not only did the Greek Freak love Lillard’s latest tattoo, but he also shut down all the rumors suggesting that the two former teammates were not on good terms following Dame’s sudden exit. It’s great to see the two superstars still share the same bond they did during their days together in Milwaukee. Meanwhile, it’s not only Lillard who’s yet to figure out his next move; it seems Giannis Antetokounmpo is also not sure about his future in Wisconsin.

Giannis Antetokounmpo addresses his future with the Milwaukee Bucks

For months, one storyline has been brewing in Milwaukee. Yes, we’re talking about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with his beloved franchise. If you’ve followed the NBA in the past couple of seasons, you know how bad things are at the Bucks. They’ve been knocked out in back-to-back seasons from the first round of the playoffs, despite acquiring Damian Lillard to extend their championship window with Giannis. Now, with Lillard out of the picture, things have gotten even more tricky for the Greek forward.

Although the Milwaukee Bucks have landed Myles Turner from the free agency, there’s still a lot that needs to be done before they say that they’ve built a team worthy of competing for the championship. However, that seems unlikely given the limited resources the team has. That’s why, while in a recent interview with famous YouTuber, IShowSpeed, Antetokounmpo hinted at a move away from the franchise. When Speed asked the Bucks star about staying in Milwaukee, he said, “Aaah, probably, probably. We’ll see.”

Obviously, this statement from Antetokounmpo raised several eyebrows. The fans took this as an indication that the former MVP is weighing his options, which does seem the right thing to do. That’s because right now, the Bucks are nowhere near the level of a championship contention team, and Giannis wants to win now.

The 31-year-old forward is reaching the twilight of his career and wants to add more rings to his name. So, it won’t be surprising if he requests a trade away from Milwaukee. But will he do it? We’ll have to wait and watch.