Damian Lillard announcement earns universal praise after Bucks shockingly cut star

Joe Mayo

Damian Lillard announcement earns universal praise after Bucks shockingly cut star  image

Following the Bucks’ surprising move to waive Damian Lillard and stretch the remaining $113 million on his contract over five years to create cap space for Myles Turner, Lillard took to X with a huge announcement. 

The nine-time All-Star announced his 10th signature shoe model with adidas on Wednesday, which is set to debut July 3 at a retail price of $90. 

“Getting to 10 signature models means a lot, but I wanted to use this 10th shoe to make a real statement and bring the price down under $100,” Lillard wrote. “I’ve had my secondary Dame Certified line priced under $100 for a few years now, but I wanted to go all in for my primary shoe…”

The star point guard signed a lifetime contract extension with adidas in December 2024, joining LeBron James (Nike), Kevin Durant (Nike) and Stephen Curry (Under Armour/Curry Brand) as the only active players with lifetime shoe deals. 

MORE: Damian Lillard’s feelings revealed after being waived by Bucks 

After being waived by Milwaukee, Lillard is expected to seek out a new home with a contending team. However, he’ll likely miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 campaign after suffering a torn left Achilles tendon in the Bucks’ first-round playoff loss to the Pacers. 

The 34-year-old spent the past two seasons with Milwaukee after being acquired by the team in a blockbuster trade from Portland, where he spent the first 11 years of his legendary career. 

He averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 3.4 three-pointers and 1.2 steals across 36.1 minutes per game in the 2024-25 campaign. 

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Joe Mayo

Joe Mayo is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. Born and raised in Wisconsin, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2024. He’s also a contributor at RotoWire. While Joe primarily writes about the NBA, he also covers the WNBA and MLB.