“Completely Walking On His Own”: Damian Lillard’s Speedy Recovery Leaves Fans In Shock

Damian Lillard’s return to Portland already had fans emotional. But now, his rapid recovery from a torn Achilles is adding shock to the mix. Just three months after the injury, Lillard is walking unassisted and showing signs of real mobility. For an injury that typically sidelines players for a full year, this is nothing short of stunning.

Lillard suffered an Achilles tear during Game 4 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on April 27. The injury occurred as he landed awkwardly while going for a rebound.

He left the game immediately, and it was soon confirmed to be a full tear, which is considered to be one of the most serious injuries in basketball. Usually, players need 9 to 12 months to recover fully. The first several weeks are spent immobilized, followed by months of physical therapy to rebuild strength, mobility, and explosiveness.

Most don’t return to game shape until the following season. That’s why seeing Lillard already walking without assistance and training lightly has left many fans stunned. One fan reposted a clip from the Blazers TikTok page to X, showing Dame walking around on his own with his kids. The fan wrote, “I just noticed that Dame is completely walking on his own now..No boot.”

Several fans responded to the post with more hopeful messages. One fan wrote, “He’ll be back much faster than expected now that he’s in an environment he loves.” Coming back home will definitely have a positive effect on Dame’s recovery.

While his speedy recovery is a positive sign, fans understand that Dame is far from being 100% yet. So, instead of expecting a full season from him, they’re keeping their hopes under control. A fan wrote, “He’ll be active and engaged all season while recovering, probably will forego some of the long road trips but he’ll be an awesome player coach from the start.”

Another fan referred to Jayson Tatum’s recovery after suffering a ruptured Achilles to outline how modern medicine is helping players recover quicker. The fan wrote, “But he definitely aint 100 yet…but the technology and medicine we have anything is possible…heck Tatum is doing water drills now.”

After being waived by the Bucks in early July, a move driven by cap space and his injury, Lillard signed a three-year, $42 million deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers. Despite his encouraging progress, Lillard will sit out the entire 2025–26 season. Both he and the team are committed to giving his body the full time it needs, with an eye on a 100% comeback in 2026–27.