Damian Lillard Sounded So Strong Talking About 'Mental Battle' of Achilles Tear

In celebration of the ink drying on his new contract, Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers hosted an introductory press conference on Monday evening, where the veteran point guard got real about his mindset after suffering a season-ending Achilles tear during the 2025 playoffs.

To hear Lillard tell it, he never once questioned his ability to come back from the injury, which has a reputation of changing players' careers for the worse.

"After I tore my Achilles and I felt it and I was sitting on the floor, I grabbed it and I rolled over and sat up. And the first thought that I had to myself was, 'I'm about to come back from an Achilles,'" Lillard told the room. "That was literally my first thought, [I swear] on my kids."

The former Milwaukee Buck said that, in that moment, it felt like "everybody else had more pity for me than I did. I had the PTs about to cry and all that stuff. I didn't cry. Even when I got by myself, I didn't cry. And it wasn't a [pride] thing; my mind just automatically went to 'I gotta fight for something.'"

That perspective change—shifting to "what I knew was coming," as Dame described it—would prove crucial. After that, it was all about learning more about the injury, talking to athletes like Aaron Rodgers, Kevin Durant and Rudy Gay, all of whom suffered but came back from Achilles injuries.

Still, though, "I never had that moment of pity or any of those things," Lillard added. "With none of my injuries, honestly. But this one I know is probably the biggest one of my career, and, like you said, it's a mental battle. But I don't lose those. "

Watch that thoughtful answer below:

Damian Lillard on tearing his Achilles:

"Everybody else had more pity for me than I did. The PT is about to cry...I didn't cry. Talking to Aaron Rodgers and KD and Rudy Gay, all these guys that experienced it. I never had that moment of pity with none of my injuries" pic.twitter.com/r5DllVPkRF
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) July 22, 2025

Despite his injury and his release from the Bucks earlier this month, it seems Lillard has set himself up for success in Portland, where he has agreed to play for what will likely be the last stretch of his NBA career. He's an icon around those parts, and will join former Boston Celtic Jrue Holiday in adding some more veteran experience to the squad.

Although the 35-year-old will probably miss most, if not all, of next season while rehabbing, he should be back to action by 2026—and Rip City will welcome him with open arms.