Lillard was a first-round pick in 2012 for the Trail Blazers and won Rookie of the Year before helping the franchise to eight playoff appearances over the next 11 seasons. He spent two years of teaming up with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee before choosing to come home to the West Coast.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — It hit Damian Lillard as he drove home with his kids after signing a contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers. He was coming home.

When Damian Lillard felt his Achilles tendon snap in April, his first thought wasn’t of self-pity, as you might imagine. He didn’t ask, “Why me?” as others might have. “I think everybody else had more pity for me than I did,