By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Damian Lillard’s return to form is drawing significant attention for the Portland Trail Blazers as they approach the 2026–27 NBA Regular Season.
The 36-year-old point guard is coming off a year-long rehab following surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon sustained in April 2025. Shortly after the injury, he was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks and eventually returned to the Oregon franchise. Early accounts from team workouts indicate he is playing at his familiar level.
Toumani Camara, an All-Defensive Second Team player in 2025, has frequently matched up against Lillard in pre-camp scrimmages and came away impressed by the point guard’s recovery.
“I think the most impressive thing for me was his first step, his speed, especially coming back from that injury,” the 26-year-old Belgian combo forward told Jason Quick of The Athletic in an interview posted Friday.
“He was just very hard to guard all around,” continued Camara. “He has so many ways to get around you. He has mastered his game and mastered his body, and no matter how good of a defender you are, when somebody has mastered their game, they are going to get wherever they want. You just have to hope they miss the shot.”
New head coach Micah Nori has also closely watched Lillard during daily practice facility runs in recent weeks, confirming that the Oakland native will face no limitations when training camp opens. He remarked that anyone walking into the building without knowing his medical history would never guess the player had undergone any surgery.
Heading into the 2026–27 NBA Regular Season, a healthy Lillard joins a roster with fellow point guard Ja Morant, besides one of the most heavily populated European sections in the league. Alongside Camara, this group includes Israeli forward Deni Avdija, French wing Sidy Cissoko, Czech guard Vit Krejci, and Polish forward Jeremy Sochan.
Following preseason media day on Monday and the launch of training camp, the team coached by Nori moves directly into its schedule of exhibition games to prepare the roster. The Trail Blazers officially open their season at the Moda Center on October 21, hosting the Phoenix Suns.
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