The Milwaukee Bucks could reportedly get Damian Lillard back much sooner than expected.
Last month, Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which meant that a blood clot formed in his right calf. The Bucks initially listed Lillard as out indefinitely to recover from the issue. San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama had his season cut short due to a similar DVT diagnosis in his right shoulder, raising concerns about Lillard’s chances to play again this season.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Lillard “has been cleared” of the blood clot in his calf and is no longer on blood-thinning medication. The Bucks point guard has also been cleared for “full contact” on the court and has even participated in a full team practice.
Per the report, Bucks officials have called Lillard’s recovery both “remarkable” and “unprecedented,” given that the issue typically takes several months to recover from. The Bucks’ early detection and treatment of Lillard’s DVT is believed to have contributed to the speedy recovery. Lillard had reportedly been taking blood thinners even before he was officially diagnosed with DVT in March.
The updates on Lillard’s recovery since his diagnosis have mostly been positive. While Lillard is still ruled out for Saturday’s first-round series opener against the Indiana Pacers, Thursday’s report all but confirms that Lillard is set to return sometime this postseason.
Lillard missed Milwaukee’s final 14 games of the season. The team went an impressive 10-14 during that span.
