Chauncey Billups learning how to be better coach through BWB Africa

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups got reminders about leading young athletes as he helped run the Basketball Without Borders camp in Africa.

What is perhaps Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups’ greatest strength as a coach doubles as an area where he recognizes he could improve. It stems from his experience.

Billups has been there. He has been the highly sought-after draft prospect, á la Shaedon Sharpe. He has been the journeyman, one who was on four different teams from 1997-2000, not unlike Justise Winslow’s journey the last few years. He has been the star, surpassing what even Damian Lillard has accomplished in winning the 2004 Finals MVP.

“You gain more experience in every step, which enables you to speak to more things. I know for me as a coach now, with my best player in Dame or it could be our draft pick in Shaedon Sharpe, I’ve been through every thing that these guys have been through and I’ve been through a lot more that they have yet to see,” Billups said. “It allows me to really connect and relate to every step of their process.”

But, like many athletes who ascend to stardom, a learning curve exists with the transition to coaching: remembering that the areas that became instinctual to him are not instincts in many of these young athletes.

He noticed this last year, his first with the Blazers, and said it was amplified as he coached the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp this week.

“You just can’t think that they know it. You gotta slow it down and you have to explain it, and you have to demonstrate,” Billups said. “You can’t just think that they understand what even simple things are.”

Sixty boy and girl basketball players from around Africa joined the BWB camp in Cairo, Egypt, from Sunday through Wednesday to learn from people in and around the NBA, including Billups, Steve Kerr, Willie Green, Udoka Azubuike, Mo Bamba, Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams and Dikembe Mutombo.

(Photo: NBA Africa)

The players, ages 18 and under, went through on-court drills, measurements, and life and leadership development. The NBA coaches and players also participated in a clinic with 100 Jr. NBA members in collaboration with Special Olympics.

Billups said he saw potential and excitement in the athletes, which is reflective of the NBA growing internationally. Greater access to resources and training has broadened the pipeline not just in Africa but around the world. There have been BWB camps in 30 countries since its launch in 2001, and there were 41 former BWB campers and 121 international players on the opening-night rosters of the 2021-22 NBA season.

“The athleticism, the skill with some of these kids that I’m looking at right now, all I can do is think about, ‘Man, what is this kid going to look like in four or five years, this kid is going to be incredible,'” Billups said.

While the athletes are learning from Billups, the NBA coach is also learning from his experience there. It’s a lesson he can take back as he enters his second season at the helm in Portland.

“You forget the small things at times because you don’t worry about it no more. It just comes so instinctually,” Billups said. “It is difficult, but it’s like one of those things like riding a bike. Even if you get on there and your first couple peddles, you’re like, ‘Man what’s going on,’ then, like, boom, all of a sudden you’re cruising.”

Read more about Billups at the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp

Chauncey Billups using NBA experience at Basketball Without Borders Africa camp

Chauncey Billups has long wanted his first Basketball Without Borders experience to take place in Africa.

When former NBA star Chauncey Billups was approached about participating in Basketball Without Borders 10 years ago, he had interest but needed to put it off due to timing issues. He knew that when he came back around to the proposition, he wanted it to be in Africa.

“I’ve heard so many great things and I’ve never been here before,” Billups said. “I wanted to make sure I got here.”

On Sunday, Basketball Without Borders Africa opened its camp in Cairo, Egypt with Billups among the NBA coaches headlining the event of more than 60 boys and girls athletes from across the continent. With time before the NBA season begins, Billups and his wife were able to make the journey.

During the opening days, the NBA took participants to such attractions as the pyramids, sphinx and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Campers participated in basketball stations for offensive and defensive drills, measurements, and life and leadership development. On Wednesday, the event will end with playoffs, the championship, a 3-point shooting contest, and an awards ceremony.

“Sometimes they can go out and perform, sometimes they falter a little bit, but man, they’re so excited, they’re so grateful and thankful to be here, you can just feel that,” Billups said. “I love that feeling, I really do.”

Billups is joined by NBA coaches including Steve Kerr, Willie Green, Wes Unseld Jr. and Chris Finch. NBA players coaching at the camp include Udoka Azubuike, Mo Bamba, Malcolm Brogdon and Grant Williams. Dikembe Mutombo is also participating as an NBA Global Ambassador.

In addition to working with the BWB campers, the NBA players and coaches participated in a Jr. NBA clinic for 100 boys and girls in collaboration with Special Olympics.

(Photo: NBA Africa)

Billups’ NBA path provides unique insight for the players. As the third overall pick in 1997, he had been viewed in high regard as a promising prospect, but after being traded three times in his first three seasons, he quickly approached journeyman status. After a successful stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Billups signed with the Detroit Pistons and emerged as Mr. Big Shot, becoming a five-time All-Star and winning Finals MVP.

As a player who has seen each level of success, he shared a key lesson with the young athletes.

“When you have talks with these kids here, you just share with them that it’s not always going to go your way,” Billups said. “You gotta hang in there, you gotta stick to it, you gotta believe in the work that you’re putting in.”

He also reminded them not to skip steps, particularly on the fundamentals of the game.

“Our kids are so talented, they can skip steps sometimes. It’s just not necessary to do so. You gotta get down the fundamentals,” he said.

Billups said that he has had to force himself to slow down while coaching to properly explain and demonstrate his message. It’s partially a lesson he learned over his first year coaching the Portland Trail Blazers — what is instinctual to him might not be to other players — but there’s also a language barrier with some campers here.

Through three days, the lessons translate. He has seen true engagement and buy-in and excitement to be part of the program.

“They all have the same dream that I had when I was a kid,” Billups said.