Despite two years away in Milwaukee, there appears to be no love lost between Portland Trail Blazers great Damian Lillard and the Rip City fan base.

That was evident Sunday afternoon when fans got to officially welcome Lillard home during a Trail Blazers pep rally celebrating his reunion with the franchise at Downtown Portland’s Pioneer Square. The crowded scene was packed with Blazers jerseys and red signs that read “Welcome Home Dame” as Lillard took center stage to a loud ovation.

“The love never changed, and it’s going to continue to grow,” Lillard said at the end of his opening remarks to the crowd, making a fitting tagline for his second chapter with the Blazers.

Sunday’s fan rally lasted from Noon to 2 p.m., but Lillard’s introduction and a short Q&A with the star, — MC’d by Blaz

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