Dame Time Returns - With a Twist: Damian Lillard Wins 3-Point Contest in Stunning Comeback
The lights dimmed, the red glow of 17,000 fans’ wristbands lit up the Intuit Dome, and then came the familiar sight: Damian Lillard, in a black Trail Blazers “Letter O” jersey, tapping his left wrist.
Dame Time was back - and it didn’t disappoint.
In a moment that felt ripped from a Hollywood script, Lillard made his return to the NBA stage Saturday afternoon by winning the 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend. And this wasn’t just another trophy for the shelf.
This was a statement. A comeback.
A reminder.
Nearly 10 months after tearing his left Achilles tendon - and without logging a single minute of game action this season - Lillard stepped into the spotlight and outdueled a loaded field of sharpshooters, including Devin Booker, Kon Knueppel, and former teammate Norman Powell.
With the win, Lillard joins Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only players in NBA history to win the event three times. But this one? This one carried extra weight.
“I wasn’t going out like that”
Lillard’s approach to the contest wasn’t casual. This wasn’t a guy showing up for the vibes. This was the same ultra-competitive, big-moment killer we’ve seen time and time again.
“I don’t know if you can compete harder at a 3-Point Shootout,” Lillard said afterward. “But I definitely cared more.”
And it showed. He came out firing in the first round, dropping 27 points - tied with Knueppel for second-highest - to advance to the final round. Then, with the pressure on, Lillard delivered a heater: hitting his first four shots, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the middle rack, and finishing with 29 points.
That set the bar for Booker, who looked poised to steal the crown. The Suns star reached 27 points with four shots left - including a money ball that could’ve forced a tiebreaker. But he missed all four, and Lillard, watching nervously from the sidelines, exhaled.
“At the end, I was kind of at his mercy,” Lillard said. “I was just like, ‘Man, these shots can’t go in.’ So it fell my way and I got this third one.”
A comeback born from a joke - and a lot of work
The wildest part? Lillard wasn’t even supposed to be in the contest.
The idea started as a joke during a casual phone call with NBA marketing exec Michael Levine. Lillard mentioned he was available to shoot if they needed someone. They laughed it off.
Then a spot opened up.
Levine called back, asking if he was serious. Lillard’s response? Classic Dame: “You know that I’m always serious.”
And just like that, he was in.
But don’t confuse spontaneity with lack of preparation. Lillard has been grinding behind the scenes.
While he hasn’t played in a game since April 27, 2025, he’s been in the gym religiously. Hundreds of shots every morning.
Catch-and-shoot. Off the dribble.
Pull-ups. Standstill.
You name it.
This was his way of staying close to the game during the longest layoff of his 13-year NBA career. A way to stay sharp. A way to stay sane.
“I’m fresh,” he said. “Just having this year to be away, my mind and body is just fresh.”
The long road back
Lillard’s injury - a torn Achilles - is one of the most feared in sports. It used to be a career-ender. But Lillard leaned into the recovery process, asking questions, learning from others who’ve been through it - including Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, and Rudy Gay.
There were tough days. Days he couldn’t walk right.
Days he couldn’t shoot. Days filled with doubt.
But the feedback he got from others gave him hope.
“A torn Achilles used to be the end,” Lillard said. “But it’s not that anymore.”
Still, he’s not rushing back. The win on Saturday was emotional and energizing, but it didn’t change the reality of where he is in his rehab.
He’s nearing the final stages, but his right Achilles remains “significantly stronger” than his left. That’s a gap he’s not willing to ignore.
“I think if this was five years ago,” Lillard said, “I probably would have won this competition and been like, ‘Oh, man, I can get out there and go.’ But I think I’m also at an age and time in my life where I recognize those emotions are not in my best interest.”
Bigger than basketball
Saturday wasn’t just about a trophy or a comeback. For Lillard, it was about something deeper - strength.
“I do think I represent strength,” he said. “We are athletes, so when we go through an injury, people act like it’s the end of the world… But people go through way worse and they carry on.”
That mindset - that resilience - is what makes Lillard who he is. Whether he’s pulling up from 35 feet with the game on the line or grinding through rehab, he’s always been about defying expectations.
Saturday’s win was a reminder: Dame Time isn’t just about buzzer-beaters. It’s about grit.
It’s about showing up when no one expects it. It’s about putting on a show - even when the road to the stage has been anything but smooth.
And if this was just a glimpse of what’s to come?
The league better be ready.