We’re only a few days into the 2025-2026 NBA season, and it’s already gifted us the wildest sports story of the year.
On Thursday morning, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups were arrested following two separate but insane gambling investigations. So far, over 30 people have been charged with crimes, but because of their status, Rozier and Billups are grabbing all of the headlines… and the jokes.
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Rozier’s arrest isn’t that shocking if you’ve been paying attention. Back in January, he was investigated by the league following claims that he was feeding inside information to gamblers. The NBA didn’t find anything, but it’s evident that the FBI did, because he’s now in some serious trouble.
Rozier is accused of cashing in on insider information—like knowing when he would duck out of a game early, thereby affecting the game’s final score.
For example, on March 23, 2023, Rozier played less than ten minutes against the Pelicans. The FBI claims that he told friends beforehand that he wasn’t going to finish the game. Of course, those friends bet on his “under,” allegedly walking away with a pretty penny—around $200,000 cash.
Terry Rozier
Terry Rozier (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Chauncey Billups, who was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2024 for his accomplishments as a player, somehow has an even crazier story than Rozier. I have no doubt Netflix is already casting his character in the upcoming movie about his situation.
Anyway, Billups is accused of running rigged poker games with people who resemble the cast of Goodfellas. Like, seriously. The FBI claims that players were hustled when Billups and his crew used things like shuffling machines, x-ray card readers, and contact lenses that could spot marked cards.
The games allegedly involved the La Cosa Nostra—the actual Italian mafia. He’s lucky that the FBI caught him before those guys did, if we’re being honest.
So far, the 2025 NBA season has had more drama with the federal courts than on the actual basketball court. Of course, the moment this story broke, the internet (especially Twitter/X) was flooded with memes and jokes about the ordeal.
Because if there’s one thing the internet is going to do, it’s laugh at other people’s bad decisions…
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups (Steph Chambers/ Staff/Getty Images)
NBA Twitter, and Just Regular Twitter, is Dying Laughing at the NBA Gambling Scandals
Perhaps my favorite type of tweet about the drama comes from Trail Blazers fans who assumed Billups must be gambling because of his poor, moronic coaching decisions in the past. It turns out quite a few of these people were spot on in their evaluations…
CHAUNCEY BILLUPS WOULD PULL PLAYERS FOR ENTIRE HALFS I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS FUCKING BAD AT COACHING
— William D. Hendrix (@SpecificNY) October 23, 2025
Others were quick to point out how heavily gambling ads are featured in sports coverage nowadays, especially in the NBA. It’s apparent that the league—and, if we’re being honest, the country—has a serious gambling problem.
Maybe the NBA should drift away from all of these types of ads in the future? I doubt it will happen with the money involved, but it’s certainly a bad look during times like this…
I for one am shocked that NBA employees are gambling. How did they get sucked into that kind of activity?
I really hope they address this on the FanDuel Pregame show sponsored by bet365, right before the big game at DraftKings arena
— Joey- Cade Smith enjoyer (@GuardsJoey) October 23, 2025
ESPN just quietly removed their “ESPN Bet” logo during a segment on Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups’ gambling arrests this morning
You can’t make this up. 💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/gGFmVCqhR0
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 23, 2025
The funniest thing about Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier getting arrested for gambling is that ESPN and NBA YouTube are gonna report it and then turn around and immediately do spots for draft kings and FanDuel and see zero irony there. pic.twitter.com/U6lrGiBRvc
— Habitual Line Stepper (@TheBlkHumorist) October 23, 2025
Finally, we have just a few random jokes that made me laugh, including some hilarious tweets from Terry Rozier that have either aged poorly or are just so insane that you have to chuckle at them.
Twitter might be the worst place on earth, but when it’s humming during a crazy moment in history like this one, it’s impossible to look away…