Jamal CollierMar 25, 2025, 08:38 PM ET
- Jamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota's iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You can reach out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or via email [email protected].
Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, also known as a blood clot, in his right calf that will sideline him indefinitely, the team announced on Tuesday.
Lillard, 34, is on a blood-thinning medication, which has stabilized the clot, according to the team. He will continue to undergo regular testing.
"Damian's health is our No. 1 priority," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement "We will support him as he moves through this weekly process of strict criteria to ensure that it is safe for him to return to play. Doctors have indicated that his situation is very unlikely to occur again. We are thankful that this was identified and medicated quickly, which helps with the recovery."
The San Antonio Spurs shut down star big Victor Wembanyama earlier this year after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Lillard had missed Milwaukee's past three games with what was called a calf strain at the time but coach Doc Rivers indicated before Monday's game that Lillard was not improving. He was also sidelined for 10 days in December with an injury to the same calf.
The injury deals a setback to the Bucks as they battle for their spot in the standings in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee has lost three of their past five games and six of their last 10, dropping them to No. 5 in the East and only 0.5 games ahead of the Pistons. The Bucks are 8-5 this season when Lillard sits but their scoring drops significantly when he sits -- 108.5 points per game compared to the (115.7) when he plays.
The Bucks have 11 games remaining in the regular season.
Lillard was named to his ninth All-Star game this season and is averaging nearly 25 points and 7.1 assists per game. In his second season playing alongside superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, the duo are averaging a combined 55.1 point per game, the highest-scoring combination in the league, according to ESPN Research.
It's the second consecutive season the Bucks are dealing with a major injury as the playoffs draw near. Last season, Antetokounmpo missed their entire first-round series loss to the Pacers with a calf injury while Lillard played in just four of the six games.
