NBA

Damian Lillard’s NBA Career Is In Question After Torn Achilles

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Anthony Cardenas
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Anthony Cardenas Sports Editor

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Published28 Apr 2025

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Milwaukee Bucks star guard NBA.

Is Damian Lillard’s NBA Career In Jeopardy?

Lillard was having a solid season up until late March. He was averaging just shy of 25 points per game for the Bucks, and was shooting three-pointers at his most efficient clip since the 2020-21 season. But just a handful of weeks before the end of the regular season, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots, and was ruled out indefinitely.

But Lillard was able to make a return this past week, with Game 2 of Milwaukee’s first round series against the Indiana Pacers being his first action since March 18th. He struggled in his first two outings back on the floor, and then disaster struck on Sunday evening.

During the first quarter of Game 4, Lillard crumbled to the floor due to an apparent non- injury. He was helped off of the court and didn’t return, and the results of Monday’s MRI confirmed the worst. He has been diagnosed with a torn Achilles, effectively ending his season.

Lillard Likely Out For 2025-26, At Least

Lillard probably won’t play next NBA season, either. The recovery time for an injury like his varies, but it typically takes at least a year for a player to return to full form. Due to the timing, is means that the earliest possible return would be somewhere near the start of the 2026 Playoffs, which are a question mark as well given the Bucks’ current situation.

It has led to some speculation on social media that his NBA career may be over. Recovery will be an even tougher task due to his advancing age, and he may be 36 years old before he’s able to even think about a comeback. It typically takes another few months after recovery for a player to get back up to speed and into game shape, meaning Damian Lillard will be approaching the age of 37 by the time he’s able to be back on the floor.

Lillard still has two years left on his contract, and the second is a player option for the 2026-27 season.