Damian Lillard to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Lillard fans. Speculation had been rife that Portland Trail Blazers star is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 36, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 27/07/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a basketball player isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a basketball player just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouDamian

For a little while on Sunday evening, #ThankYouDamian was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Damian Lillard was unlike any other basketball player we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouDamian”
— @universalObserver, 26 Jul 2026

“Didn't Damian Lillard retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 26 Jul 2026

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