Portland, Ore. – Damian Lillard, the eight-time All-Star, is set to make his highly anticipated return to Portland on Wednesday night since being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason. Lillard expressed his affection for the Trail Blazers and the community, emphasizing that his return comes with ‘a lot of love’ for the team and the city.

Reflecting on his time in Portland, Lillard conveyed his admiration for the organization and the people he worked with daily, highlighting the difficulty of leaving a situation that was not a ‘broken relationship.’ He expressed excitement about returning to the Moda Center, acknowledging that the primary reason for his departure was the pursuit of a championship, a goal that aligned with the aspirations of a title contender like the Milwaukee Bucks.

During his tenure with the Blazers, Lillard showcased his exceptional scoring prowess, averaging over 24 points in each of the previous eight seasons and achieving a career-high of 32.2 points per game last season. Notably, he etched his name in NBA history by becoming the seventh player to score over 70 points in a single game, a feat accomplished against the Houston Rockets in February.

Despite Lillard’s individual brilliance, the Blazers encountered challenges in the postseason, advancing to the Western Conference Finals only once during his tenure. Following Lillard’s departure, the team has grappled with the absence of their star point guard, currently languishing near the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 14-33 record.

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups acknowledged the peculiarity of seeing Lillard in a different jersey but expressed his support for Lillard’s decision to seek a new opportunity, recognizing the challenging circumstances that prompted the move.