The Milwaukee Bucks could be without Damian Lillard for an extended period of time. The team announced on Tuesday night that Lillard had sustained a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and would be out indefinitely.

Lillard released a statement to Chris Haynes calling the situation "unfortunate" and that he would take whatever precautions were necessary so that he would be there for his family.

“It’s unfortunate that something outside of my control would come up," Lillard told Haynes. "Along with the Bucks’ medical staff, our priorities are to protect my health and safety. As much as I love basketball, I need to be there for my kids and my family. I’m grateful the Bucks acted quickly on this. They’ve been supportive and proactive throughout this process. I look forward to moving past this and continuing my career.”

Lillard, a nine-time All-Star who played the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, was traded to the Bucks during the 2023 offseason. Lillard missed two games during the Bucks 4-2 first round loss to the Indiana Pacers during last season's playoffs.

More NBA on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Damian Lillard Issues Statement About 'Unfortunate' Blood Clot News.

Test hyperlink for boilerplate