$50M Star Damian Lillard Jokingly Becomes ‘Highest Paid Assistant Coach’ in NBA History

9-time All-Star Damian Lillard has returned to the Portland Trail Blazers, but will not be playing next season as he recovers from his Achilles tear.

$50M Star Damian Lillard Jokingly Becomes ‘Highest Paid Assistant Coach’ in NBA History

Damian Lillard to don assistant coach hat next season (Image via FirstSportz)

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Since 2012, Damian Lillard has made Portland, Oregon, his home. He married his childhood sweetheart, started a family, and became part of the community. Then he had a brief stint with the Milwaukee Bucks, during which he was clearly not himself.

The superstar tried in every way possible to find some sort of happiness. Lack of friends, divorce, and being away from his kids for 8 months was not what he had hoped for. Now, after two years away, he has returned.

The 9-time All-Star first asked for a buyout from the Milwaukee Bucks, then agreed to a 3-year, $42 million deal with a final year player option, as well as a no-trade clause to return to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Prodigal Son’s return is going to revitalize the franchise, which has struggled to garner fan interest over the past two seasons. However, they will not see him wearing a jersey and shoot from distance. Instead, head coach Chauncey Billups has something else in store.

He’ll be back as good as ever. I told him that this year, he’s going to be the highest-paid assistant coach in league history. Because I’m going to be putting him to work every day.

Chauncey Billups said at the press conference

By saying this, the 48-year-old head coach wants to use all the experience Damian Lillard has to help the team take the next step. Last season, they were a few wins away from making it to a play-in spot. This time, with inputs from their cherished point guard, Billups is hoping to do one better.

Damian Lillard can help young Blazers take the next step

The last time Damian Lillard wore a Portland Trail Blazers jersey, he was moving into a transitional phase for the franchise. After years of struggling to fight for a title, the franchise wanted to start bringing in their next generation.

Damian Lillard can be an additional guiding voice for head coach Chauncey Billups
Damian Lillard can be an additional guiding voice for head coach Chauncey Billups (Image via Open Source/X)

That decision did not sit well with a player with 7 All-NBA selections. He wanted to fight for a title, but the team was looking to retool with him still on the roster. Now in his second stint, Lillard will have most of the rebuilding pieces around him.

Young players such as Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, Deni Avdija, and Chinese prodigy Yang Hansen are looking for veteran guidance. The 35-year-old will be that sounding board who will guide them from the sidelines, and help them understand the game better.

They can lean on him and incoming 2-time champion point guard, Jrue Holiday, for guidance. If they listen, the players could develop enough in time for next season when Lillard will be ready to return to the court.

Damian Lillard details his Achilles injury

Damian Lillard will be out this year after tearing his Achilles tendon during the 1st round of the playoffs. Such an injury takes a full year’s worth of recovery. However, he has not lost his mental battle and will fight through this adversity.

Everybody else had more pity for me than I did… I never had that moment of pity with none of my injuries. This is probably the biggest one. It’s a mental battle. I don’t lose those.

Damian Lillard said to reporters

The Oakland native revealed that he spoke with other athletes who tore their Achilles, NFL star Aaron Rodgers, Kevin Durant, and Rudy Gay. He received guidance from them, but understood that the journey to recovery is all on him.

He claims that he has the mental resolve to go through this journey and will come back healthy and ready to go. Trail Blazers fans will only hope that their Prodigal Son returns the way they left him.

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