Damian Lillard returned to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason after spending two years away as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. The star point guard became a beloved figure in Portland over the course of 11 seasons before he was traded as he sought an NBA championship. That quest failed in part due to Lillard tearing his Achilles in the playoffs this year, leading to his release from Milwaukee and a homecoming in Portland.

It's a nice story that tugs at the heartstrings of NBA fans and the Blazers are leaning all the way into the emotion of a franchise favorite returning to the fold. To that end, on Tuesday, they shared Lillard's emotional reaction to entering the home locker room again for the first time since he was shipped out in 2023.

The superstar scorer insisted he wasn't going to cry but was clearly caught up in the weight of the moment. It was really cool to see.

It'll be fun seeing him suit up in a Trail Blazers uniform again. Even if it will probably have to wait until the 2026-27 season as Lillard continues to recover from his serious Achilles injury.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Trail Blazers Share Damian Lillard's Emotional Reaction to Entering Locker Room Again .

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