Nearly two years after he was traded, Portland Trail Blazers legend Damian Lillard appeared before thousands of eager fans over the weekend. The atmosphere was electric and it almost felt as if he had never left the city at all.

Lillard’s appearance was part of a fan event Sunday welcoming him back to the Trail Blazers, with whom he signed a three-year, $42 million contract in July. Fans filled Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland, many wearing jerseys with Lillard’s iconic number 0.

The Trail Blazers traded Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in September 2023 after 11 seasons in Portland. He had formally requested a trade that year when the Blazers were struggling, saying he wanted to win an NBA championship.

His two years with the Bucks ended with him tearing his Achilles tendon. The Bucks later waived Lillard, and he eventually agreed to sign with Portland.

Fans told OPB that Lillard’s return has lifted the mood around the team, which has struggled in recent seasons. The Trail Blazers have not made the playoffs since 2021, which was also the last time they finished with a winning record.

Blazers superfan Gina Shaddox sported a knitted sweater complete with a picture of Lillard’s face, which she said took more than three months to complete. She’s hopeful that his presence in the Trail Blazers locker room can translate to success on the court.

“He is the heart and soul of the team, and he always was, even when he wasn’t here,” Shaddox said. “Just him being here is going to lift not only the team spirits, but all the fans.”

When Lillard eventually came on stage to greet the fans, the crowd roared. Children stretched out their arms with memorabilia and pens, begging for an autograph.

It was equally emotional for him, Lillard said.

“I was overcome with a lot of emotion,” he said of his return to the Moda Center. “Not only am I coming back to this city and this organization, but it was unexpected.”

Lillard’s return coincides with a time of significant change for the Trail Blazers. A new ownership group — led by billionaire Tom Dundon — acquired the team last month from the estate of Paul Allen for a rumored $4 billion. The NBA Board of Governors still needs to approve the deal.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the Trail Blazers will also likely need a new arena, replacing the 30-year-old Moda Center. A new group dubbed Rip City Forever, consisting of local business executives and former players, has begun an organizing effort to fund a new stadium and keep the team in Portland.

Lillard won’t play the bulk of this season, as he’ll spend the year rehabbing his leg injury. But fans said they believe he’ll still be an asset to the team as a mentor for younger players.

“He’s been a player-coach his whole career,” said Susan Hemrich of Aloha, Oregon. “Everybody’s going to be on the same page by the time he does step back to be on the court.”

Lillard, whose family and children still live in Oregon, said he found it important both personally and professionally to become a Trail Blazer again.

“I’m excited to be back,” he told a sea of fans in red and black. “The love never changed and it’s going to continue to grow.”

The Blazers’ season begins Oct. 8 against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09/21/damian-lillard-trail-blazers-fan-reunion/