Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier arrested in gambling probe
Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier arrested in gambling probe
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were among more than 30 people charged in connection with schemes involving illegal sports betting, and rigged poker games backed by the Mafia, according to authorities.
INGLE - As teams across the NBA settled into the league’s first week of the regular season, federal authorities have announced a bombshell investigation alleging illegal sports betting, and rigged poker games backed by the Mafia.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player and assistant coach Damon Jones have all been arrested.
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue broke his silence about the allegations on Friday, just hours before the team’s home opener at the Intuit Dome against the Phoenix Suns.
How Coach Lue Is Connected to Jones and Billups
What we know:
Lue and Billups are best friends, with a 2021 report from The New York Times saying the friendship began when the two were 16 years old playing in the AAU. They both attended Big 12 schools and trained together after they were drafted into the NBA.
In that report, Billups said it was his best friend who inspired him to become a coach.
Jones joined Cleveland’s coaching staff in 2014 as a shooting consultant. He was on Lue’s Cleveland staff for the postseason in 2016 and was named a full-time assistant for the Cavaliers later that year. He also worked as a TV analyst for ESPN in 2018.
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"The fraud is mind-boggling," FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters. "We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud, theft, and robbery across a multiyear investigation."
The alleged fraud, however, pales in comparison to the riches the athletes earned on the court. Billups, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year, had about $106 million in earnings over his 17-year career. Rozier made about $160 million in his stops in Boston, Miami, and Charlotte.
Tyronn Lue Breaks His Silence
What they're saying:
"I was just sad," Lue said about hearing the news. "Chauncey is my best friend, and him having to go through something like this—the allegations, his family, my goddaughters—you know, it was a tough day, and you never want to see your friends going through something like that."
Coach Tyronn Lue said he hasn’t spoken to Bradley Beal about how he feels about going against his former team.
When asked how he feels about teams partnering with sports betting companies for sponsorships, Lue said, "That’s not really good for me to comment on. I really don’t know."
"If the NBA partners or teams do it, then it must be good for the game or good for the NBA. So, I can't really comment on what's good and what's not good," he added.
Attorneys for Billups and Rozier Issue Statements
The other side:
Both Billups and Rozier have been suspended by the NBA.
Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, issued a statement Thursday evening denying the allegations, calling his client a "man of integrity." "To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game," Heywood said.
Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said in a statement that his client is "not a gambler" and "looks forward to winning this fight." Trusty criticized authorities for not allowing his client to surrender on his own and accused officials of wanting "the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk."
What's next:
Billups and Rozier have both been released with upcoming court dates.
Billups is due in a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Nov. 9, while Rozier is due in court Dec. 8.
The Source: This story was written with information from LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue's pre-game press conference on Oct. 24, the Associated Press, and a 2021 report from the New York Times.
NBALos Angeles Clippers