Damian Lillard is back where he started.

Lillard signed a three-year deal worth $42 million to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been officially announced.

ESPN first reported the deal.

Lillard, 35, was the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Trail Blazers and spent 11 seasons with Portland before he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks just before the 2023-24 season.

Lillard tore his left Achilles tendon during a first-round NBA playoff series against the Indiana Pacers and required surgery, meaning he could miss the entire 2025-26 season. The Bucks had waived him earlier this month and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract over five years.

Lillard ranked 10th in the league in scoring (24.9) and assists (7.1) this season while earning his ninth All-Star Game selection. But he played only 58 games because of deep vein thrombosis.

Lillard confirmed the deal, posting a video to his Instagram of the Trail Blazers’ locker room, ending with a frame of a locker labeled with his name, followed by the words “Together Again.”

Lillard averaged 32.2 points his final season in Portland. He became just the seventh player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in a game when he finished with 71 against the Houston Rockets that season.

Lillard holds Portland records for points (19,376) and 3-pointers (2,387).

PWHL

Frost sign second-round pick Hustler to contract

The Minnesota Frost signed second-round draft pick Abby Hustler to a two-year standard PWHL contract on Thursday.

Hustler, selected 14th overall in this year’s draft, is a 22-year-old forward from St. Louis. She had 71 goals and 87 assists in 154 games at St. Lawrence University.It’s not

SOCCEr

Argentina set for return of fans after 12-year ban

A ban on away fans in Argentina’s local leagues — a restriction that failed to end stadium violence — will gradually be lifted under a plan announced Thursday by the country’s soccer federation.

The 12-year ban will be lifted in a test run when Lanús hosts Rosario Central in the second matchday of the top-flight Clausura tournament, Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia said at a press conference.

The federation banned visiting fans in the first-division tournament in 2013 after two incidents: the death of a Lanús fan when police tried to break up a clash with Estudiantes supporters; and the death of two Boca Juniors fans in a shootout between rival factions.

The ban was imposed first in the province of Buenos Aires, and the rest of the districts followed. While the measure sought to end stadium violence, it fell short, as more deaths subsequently occurred for disputes among the so-called “barrabravas.”

The AFA announced that 6,500 fans of Rosario Central, a team from that city located 300 kilometers north of Buenos Aires, will be able to occupy the Lanús away section under a strict security protocol, which includes designated tickets so that fans attending are properly identified.

Snoop Dogg joins ownership of Swansea

Snoop Dogg has become a “co-owner and investor” of Welsh soccer club Swansea.

The former Premier League club, which plays in the English second division, didn’t disclose financial details in Thursday’s announcement, which shines a spotlight on yet another unheralded team from Wales after Wrexham’s well-documented journey.

“The story of the club and the area really struck a chord with me,” the American rapper and entertainment icon said added. “This is a proud, working class city and club. An underdog that bites back, just like me.”

Snoop Dogg, who has more than 88 million Instagram followers, helped launch the team’s 2025-26 home shirt last weekend.

Arsenal pays record transfer fee for Smith

Olivia Smith became the most expensive player in women’s soccer history Thursday when she joined Arsenal from Liverpool for a world record transfer fee of 1 million pounds ($1.34 million).

The new benchmark in women’s soccer surpasses the 900,000 pounds ($1.1 million) Chelsea paid for Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave in January.

The 20-year-old Canada forward signed a four-year deal, a person with knowledge of the contract told The Associated Press. The person, who also confirmed the record fee, spoke on the condition of anonymity because the full details of the transfer have not been made public.

NASCAR

Judge denies request to race with charters

A federal judge on Thursday rejected a request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to continue racing with charters while they battle NASCAR in court, meaning their six cars will race as open entries this weekend at Dover, next week at Indianapolis and perhaps longer than that in a move the teams say would put them at risk of going out of business.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell denied the teams’ bid for a temporary restraining order, saying they will make races over the next couple of weeks and they won’t lose their drivers or sponsors before his decision on a preliminary injunction.

BRIEFLY

Marathon >> Women’s marathon world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich was provisionally suspended for a positive doping test on Thursday.

NHL >> Blue Jackets right wing Yegor Chinakhov, the No. 21 pick in the 2020 NHL draft, has requested a trade.

NHL >> Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal signed a five-year contract on Thursday to remain with the team.

Tennis >> Genie Bouchard, who reached the Wimbledon final and two other Grand Slam semifinals in 2014, is retiring from tennis.

College football >> Gators sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway indicated Wednesday that he’s physically ready after being sidelined in the spring with shoulder and hamstring issues.

— From news services