Damian Lillard reflects on his return to the Trail Blazers arena / News - Basketnews.com

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard talked about his return to the Portland Trail Blazers gym and the feelings that he had.

Credit: Getty images via AFP-Scanpix Credit Getty images via AFP-Scanpix

Damian Lillard, who spent his first 11 NBA seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, made his jump to the Milwaukee Bucks last summer.

Damian Lillard

Team:Milwaukee BucksPosition:PGAge:33Height:191 cmWeight:88 kgBirth place:Oakland, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

An emotional but understandable goodbye, Lillard had certain emotions when he returned to the Rose Garden, the Trail Blazers' arena.

"It was weird. I walked in, and as I was coming in, I was instinctively about to keep walking down the hall..." said Lillard in a post-game conference. "I really didn't know where to go. I had never been in the visitor's locker room until today," he noted after the 119-116 loss.

The point guard still has fond memories of the Trail Blazers and thinks that there is a possibility that he might return there as a player.

"Because of how I feel about Portland... How I feel about the organization here and my time that I spent here, in my mind I've always felt like that's how my career would end," Lillard revealed.

Irrespective of this, "Dame Time" is committed to the Bucks.

"Right now, I'm just in a space of like, this is where I am now. I'm in Milwaukee. I wanted the opportunity to contend and our team has an opportunity to contend for this year and years to come and I'm just living in that," he stated.

"But I definitely, when I was traded, I see a day where I'll be in a Trail Blazer uniform again before I'm done," Lillard noted.

The star player also talked about an encounter with former Trail Blazers teammate CJ McCollum, who requested him to "embrace his feelings."

"My feelings about playing here, my feelings about putting my best foot forward for the organization while I was here, it was genuine. It weighed on me heavy, so I'm sure it'll be a lot of emotions," Lillard explained. "Just being back out there and seeing the familiar faces. A lot of people in the crowd, I'm going to recognize those faces because I've seen them many times, so many years."

Ultimately, Lillard remains committed to now with the Bucks and will not let emotions control him, though he will not hide them either.

"So I'll let it be what it is. I'm not going to cry, nothing like that. I'm not a big crier, but I'm not going to hide the emotions that I feel from it," he said. "I think it's a moment that means a lot to me and a lot of other people."

The point guard had 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists in the loss to the Trail Blazers. He is averaging 25.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game this year with the Bucks.

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