Back to Portland Damian Lillard talks about time in Milwaukee

Damian Lillard has been planning to retire with the Portland Trail Blazers and enter the Hall of Fame, but his return is much earlier than expected. After Lillard tore his Achilles tendon in April's playoffs, with dissatisfaction growing about Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee shocked the league by agreeing to a deal, cutting and extending Lillard's contract, buying him out and making him a free agent. This paved the way for his return to Portland.

In a recent interview, Lillard talked about it all. Injuries were the main topic when discussing his time with the Bucks — Antetokounmpo missed Lillard’s first playoff season with injury, then this year he suffered an Achilles tendon injury — with Jim Otskasky of the Milwaukee Sentinels.

"I think you need a little luck to win big prizes. You need to stay healthy and play at your best at the right time, and I think we're just not lucky."

He also talked about his experience of loving playing with Antetokounmpo, despite some criticism for his performance and style of the game.

"But I think, Giannis and I, during that time, were our highest-scoring duo. We won an NBA Championship Cup. To me, a lot of people want to see Damian do this and do that, but I'm a player who scores over 30 points a night, a player who plays the ball like my entire career. He's aggressive and loves offense, and I still get 25 points and seven assists a night in two years. I think it's unfair to say Damian (not the same level) because of the way I play in Portland. I always have the ball, so it looks different. But I feel that, given my actual productivity, I feel that perception is unfair."

Now, Lillard is just so happy to be home, as he and the media say.

"Just knowing that I'm going to be home at all times in my life, with my kids, playing for the Trail Blazers, driving the streets I've been driving almost all the time in my adult life, my entire family is here, my mom, my brothers, my sisters, and all my friends in Portland," he said. "All of this matters. I didn't expect it to happen so soon."

Yes. He will work more as an assistant coach this season, working with young defenders like Scott Henderson, Sheden Sharp and Toumani Kamala. He will join their rotation in a year.

At the moment, he is just happy to be home.