Weber State Professional Athletes

Weber State Alumni in the NBA | Week of Oct. 4–10, 2026

Lillard Returns, and Portland Has a New Look to Match

Damian Lillard's comeback story is moving fast — and so far, it looks like the best kind.

The Weber State product made his first appearance in a Trail Blazers uniform since suffering a torn Achilles tendon that cost him the entire 2025-26 season, suiting up against a short-handed Golden State Warriors squad in Portland's preseason opener. By all accounts, Lillard didn't look like a man who spent the better part of a year in a walking boot. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Lillard told those around him he felt "29 all over again" — a loaded statement for a 36-year-old entering Year 13, but one backed up by what Portland saw on the court, including a flurry of three-pointers that had the organization exhaling.

The bigger story isn't just Lillard's health — it's who's standing next to him. Ja Morant, acquired from Memphis in a June blockbuster, made his Portland debut alongside Lillard in Wednesday's 123-118 preseason win. The backcourt pairing has the feel of one of those experiments that's either electric or combustible, with very little middle ground. Early evidence suggests the former. Morant was self-critical after the game, grading his own performance harshly in a post-practice session — but the potential he sees alongside Lillard clearly has him energized. Lillard, for his part, told reporters he's noticed "a lot of joy" in Morant since the trade, a characterization that suggests the fit is clicking off the floor as much as on it.

Lillard has been direct about what he wants from the 2026-27 season. His goals for Portland include building off the team's run to the NBA playoffs last spring — a run he watched from the sideline. The Blazers enter the year under new head coach Micah Nori, with a roster that blends veteran presence (Lillard, Jrue Holiday) and young talent (Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson). Portland's ceiling depends almost entirely on whether the Lillard-Morant backcourt becomes a genuine two-way threat or a defensive liability — and preseason Week 1 offered exactly zero definitive answers. Which, honestly, is what makes it compelling.

Jones Quietly Making Noise in Philadelphia

On the other coast, former Weber State forward Dillon Jones is catching eyes with the 76ers. Jones, who departed New York after time on a Knicks two-way deal, is making enough of an impression in Philadelphia's preseason that at least one national outlet has suggested the Knicks may have let a quality piece walk. Jones faced his former team in a preseason matchup, a reunion that framed just how quickly fortunes can shift in the NBA. He's battling for a roster spot in Philly, but the early returns are strong enough to warrant watching.

Two Weber State alumni in the NBA at the same time isn't a common occurrence. One is rewriting his second act in real time; the other is quietly trying to write his first. Both storylines are worth following as the regular season approaches.

Dame's Back — But Is Portland's New Backcourt Built to Last?

Damian Lillard's return from a torn left Achilles is the most compelling subplot surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers heading into the 2026-27 season — and the Weber State product is clearly ready to make noise again, both on the court and off it.

Lillard missed all of last season after suffering the injury during the 2025 playoffs, but the early reports out of Portland are turning heads for all the right reasons. Blazers personnel have been effusive in their praise of his recovery, with one team source describing his condition simply as: "He looks phenomenal." For a 36-year-old guard coming off one of the most devastating injuries in basketball, that's not a small thing.

Adding to the intrigue is Portland's blockbuster offseason acquisition of Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies. The Blazers are now deploying two elite, ball-dominant point guards in the same backcourt — a pairing that has generated as much skepticism as excitement around the league.

The Case For — and Against — Lillard-Morant

Not everyone is worried. Former NBA head coach PJ Carlesimo has gone on record dismissing concerns about the fit, suggesting the two guards are capable of sharing the floor effectively. The optimist's view: Portland has two legitimate star creators who can take pressure off each other and keep defenses permanently off-balance.

But there's a loud counter-argument. An anonymous NBA scout delivered a blunt pre-camp assessment of Morant, calling him "physically unfit" and questioning whether the former All-Star has done the work to perform at a high level alongside Lillard. "He's got a bad knee, doesn't really work on his physical fitness," the scout said, according to ClutchPoints. "I doubt that he's all of a sudden become a changed man." It's a harsh read — and an anonymous one — but it reflects real uncertainty around how this experiment plays out.

What isn't uncertain is Lillard's commitment to the moment. Ahead of training camp, Dame dropped a new track titled "Nothing Without You" with Souls of Mischief, continuing his long-running parallel career in music. It's a vintage Lillard move: full engagement, on every front, at all times.

Where Dillon Jones Fits In

Weber State's other active NBA alumnus, Dillon Jones, is with the Philadelphia 76ers as a forward. No notable activity surfaced for Jones during this period, but his presence in the league keeps the Wildcats' NBA pipeline alive on the East Coast while all eyes in the West stay fixed on Lillard.

The 2026-27 season will answer a lot of questions Portland has been carrying for years. Can Lillard's Achilles hold up over an 82-game grind? Can two lead guards truly coexist at a winning level? And has Morant, now in a new city, turned a corner personally and physically? Weber State fans who followed Dame from Ogden to stardom know better than to bet against him. The rest of the league is watching closely to find out if they're right.