"F that ring chasing, I'm going back where the love is" - Patrick Beverley praises Damian Lillard's decision to finish his career in Portland

Yahoo

18-07-2025

"F that ring chasing, I'm going back where the love is" - Patrick Beverley praises Damian Lillard's decision to finish his career in Portland originally appeared on Basketball Network.
When the Milwaukee Bucks waived Damian Lillard, most agreed that Dame would take the rest of the year off to heal from his ACL injury and then sign with a contender that would give him the best chance of winning that elusive NBA title.
However, in an unexpected plot twist, Lillard wasted no time and agreed on a three-year $42 million deal to return to where it all started, the Portland Trail Blazers.
But with the Trail Blazers not expected to be contenders next season and in the immediate future, Lillard is essentially giving up on his dream of winning an NBA championship by choosing to come back home.
To some, Lillard's move was foolish. But for former NBA player Patrick Beverley, there's nothing wrong with following one's heart, even if that means letting go of personal ambitions.
Not everything that glitters is gold
Lillard was the Blazers' sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and became the franchise's most beloved superstar. After winning Rookie of the Year honors in 2013, Lillard went on to earn eight All-Star and seven All-NBA team selections as a Blazer. Dame is also Portland's all-time scoring leader with 19,376 points and 2,387 3-pointers made.
But the Blazers won only four total playoff series during Lillard's watch, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. With Lillard wanting an opportunity to win a championship and the Blazers looking to develop young talent, they agreed to part ways in 2023 by sending Dame to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he got the chance to contend with a team that won it all in 2021.
However, injuries plagued the Bucks during Lillard's two seasons there. This past campaign, he suffered an ACL tear in the opening round of the playoffs and was waived by the Bucks via the stretch provision. Because the Bucks would be paying every cent of Lillard's remaining contract, the so-called experts said it was going to be easy for him to join a contending team, with money not an issue. But Lillard proved on Thursday that not everything that glitters is gold.Finishing his career where it all began
Although Lillard left Portland in 2023, it was a mutual decision to part ways and did not have an ounce of animosity involved. Even though he was with the Bucks, the love and respect from Portland fans did not go away, nor did Dame's affection towards them. Last year, he even hinted at the possibility of finishing his career with the Blazers. Now that has become a reality because at 35, this is the tail end of his NBA career.
"Him going back feels like a big win. I respect pro athletes' relentless desire to win a title, and *I'm in no way saying that shouldn't be the goal* BUT pretending that is the only thing is just flat-out ignoring part of the experience. When you catch the special lightning in a bottle that guys like Steph, Kobe, Dame have/had with their team's fans, it's not nothing. In fact, once you have it, it may end up being the most important thing of all," wrote FS1's Rachel Nichols on "X."
Winning a championship ring is every player's dream. But it's not everything. Dame gave it a shot in Milwaukee, but it didn't work out. Now, it's time to start playing basketball again, not for the ring, but for the fans and the city that helped him define his legacy. As Beverley said, "F-–k ring chasing."This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.