Is Damian Lillard leaving the NBA? Portland Trail Blazers star switches role amid injury setback | NBA News
The Portland Trail Blazers announced on Saturday night that NBA icon Damian Lillard is going back to school. He will go back to Weber State, his alma mater, to become a general manager. After being released by the Milwaukee Bucks, he signed a three-year, $42 million deal with his native NBA club, the Portland Trail Blazers. But now he will miss the entire 2025-2026 season after suffering an Achilles injury. Hence, it is safe to say that it is just temporary and he is not leaving the NBA.
Damian Lillard returns to Weber State as General Manager while recovering from Achilles injury
While hosting the Weber State Basketball Alumni Classic in Ogden, Utah, on Saturday night, Damian Lillard made the announcement. Days after deciding to sign a three-year contract to rejoin his old team, the 13-year NBA veteran is now all set for his new job.According to Brett Hein of the Standard-Examiner, he stated during a visit to the school’s campus: “My relationship with coach (Eric) Duft and this program means a lot to me, and seeing the success of the program means a lot to me… I feel like I can do a lot to help the program be successful, to help the players even individually continue to grow their careers past college, that’s something that I’m passionate about.”Before being chosen by Portland, he spent four years at Weber State in Utah. As a general manager, he will work hand-in-hand with the coaching staff and the administration to provide guidance, mentoring, and advice. He will also apply his experience to enhance the program.
Damian Lillard is now in Portland Trail Blazers (Image via Getty Images)
Since 2016, the Weber State Wildcats have failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Last season, they had a 12-22 record. Addressing the same, Damian Lillard said in a statement: “I believe in what this program represents and the culture that continues to grow at Weber State.”The announcement was made almost four months after he tore his Achilles tendon in a playoff game in April. In May, he had surgery to fix the damage, and he is still recovering from the same. He will probably miss a large amount of the 2025-2026 season due to the injury. Even though NBA players with Achilles tears typically take ten months to recover, there is some chance that he could return near the end of the season and be prepared for the playoffs.Also read: Milwaukee Bucks risk losing Damian Lillard as the star now open to joining Boston Celtics after past rejection
