Damian Lillard confirms he is going for NBA record at 2027 All-Star Weekend

Damian Lillard made his long-awaited return for the Portland Trail Blazers after missing 528 days with a torn Achilles. After a strong preseason debut, the 36-year-old confirmed he plans to participate in the 2027 NBA 3-Point Contest to chase a record-breaking fourth title. Damian Lillard is back on the court, and the Portland Trail Blazers star has already confirmed that he plans to chase NBA history at the 2027 All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. Position PG Age 36 Height 191 cm Weight 88 kg Birth place Oakland, United States of America "Yeah, I'm gonna do it again," Lillard said when asked about returning to the 3-point contest . "That would be a record. I gotta do it at this point. Why not? If I say I'm gonna do something, I stand by it." Lillard has won the event three times – in 2023, 2024, and 2026 – tying Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for the most titles in NBA 3-Point Contest history. A fourth victory would give him the outright record. He won the 2026 contest despite not playing a single NBA game during the 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn left Achilles. Lillard finally returned to game action on Wednesday, scoring 15 points in 19 minutes as Portland defeated the Golden State Warriors 123-118 in its preseason opener. It marked his first appearance since suffering the Achilles injury 528 days earlier. "I felt like myself," Lillard said after the game. "I felt like I was just playing another game." Credit Image Imago – Scanpix Lillard back after missing entire season Lillard tore his left Achilles on April 27, 2025, during Game 4 of the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. Now 36, Lillard said his main individual objective is proving that he can return from such a serious injury without losing the qualities that defined his game. "My ultimate goal is to come back off a major injury and be myself," Lillard said. "I feel like I've gotten back to everything I had before. I feel explosive going both directions. I feel like I can get any shot off from any range. And I felt that way tonight. I just felt good moving around out there." Beyond his individual comeback, Lillard also has bigger goals for Portland. "I would say my ultimate goal is obviously to help our team take it a step further than we did last year, get into the playoffs, and try to improve on that, play a little bit further into the postseason," he continued. Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix "But ultimately for me, I just wanna come back regardless of the age, regardless of the injury. When you do this, you do it, and I'm one of those people that I really put work in, I really take care of myself, I really love the game, do things the right way. "So I'm gonna come back and show that when you have those types of traits, to be able to come back and be who you are. And I don't expect to be anything different than who I've always been." Lillard originally spent his first 11 NBA seasons with Portland before the Trail Blazers traded him to Milwaukee ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. After two seasons with the Bucks, the team waived him in the summer of 2025, opening the door for a reunion with Portland. He signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Trail Blazers in July 2025. Support BasketNews so we could make even better content. If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source . It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.