Bucks' Damian Lillard Talks 'Scary' Blood Clot Diagnosis amid Recovery Before Playoffs

Milwaukee Bucks star point guard Damian Lillard detailed his blood clot diagnosis on Friday.

“It was a little bit scary,” Lillard said, per Eric Nehm and Zach Powell of The Athletic. “I think I’ve had a couple of surgeries in my career. I’ve had things I’ve had to deal with, you know, with an ankle or a knee, Achilles, calf, whatever it might be. But those are all things that you go to rehab, you deal with it like that, like an athlete would."

“I’m thinking that’s what I was going into, and then you see a blood clot," he added. "Obviously, that’s a thing that can affect your life.”

Lillard was ruled out indefinitely after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf on March 25, putting his status for the playoffs in jeopardy.

The Bucks announced Wednesday that the deep vein thrombosis had resolved and he was cleared for full basketball activity, though.

Lillard revealed that he wasn't concerned about his playoff future following the diagnosis, as he was worried about how it could potentially affect his life off the court instead.

“Honestly, when I say I was scared, I was really nervous about it, based off of a past experience,” Lillard explained, via Nehm and Powell, “So I wasn’t really thinking about, ‘Oh, I need to get back out there for the playoffs.’ I was just like each time I went back to the hospital, I wanted to hear that it’s gone or it’s smaller or it’s in the same spot, so that was more of my focus.”

He missed the Bucks' final 14 regular-season games, although they were still able to compile a 10-4 record without him and clinch the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture with a 48-34 overall record.

Lillard put together a strong second season in Milwaukee prior to his absence to end the year, averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game on 44.8/37.6/92.1 shooting splits.

He was selected as an All-Star for the ninth time in his career.

Lillard has been ruled out for Game 1 of the Bucks' upcoming first-round clash with the Indiana Pacers, but he could return to the floor before the series comes to a close.

His potential presence on the court could help Milwaukee win its first playoff series since 2022.