Tag: Chauncey Billups

Chauncey Billups to become first NBA Buff in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, per report

One of the greatest Buffs ever is reportedly headed to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Colorado great Chauncey Billups has been elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2024 class, making him the first Buff who played in the NBA to achieve the honor.

Fellow NBA great Vince Carter joins Billups in the class, although the official announcement will be made Saturday at the NCAA Tournament Final Four.

Now head coach of the Portland Trailblazers, Billups put together a stellar NBA resume. In his 17-year professional career, Billups played for seven teams, most notably winning the 2004 NBA Finals — and Finals MVP — with the Detroit Pistons. Billups also earned five all-star selections, two of which came during his time with the Denver Nuggets.

Born in Denver, Billups was a high school star at George Washington before committing to CU. He played two seasons with the Buffs, earning second-team All-American honors as a sophomore while leading Colorado to its first March Madness appearance in 28 years. Coincidentally, Carter’s North Carolina Tarheels beat the Buffs in the round of 32.

The late Burdette Halderson, who played at CU in the 1950s, is also in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team.

 

Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

‘Last of a dying breed’: Rockets find leadership, flexibility in Fred VanVleet

“He is the last of a dying breed,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups says of Rockets veteran Fred VanVleet. “He plays the game from the neck up.”

Coming off a 34-point performance in Saturday’s blowout win over the Utah Jazz, including 10 made 3-pointers, tying a franchise record, veteran Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet felt good heading into Monday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.

VanVleet’s attitude changed quickly when Portland’s lineup of young rookies put Houston on its heels early. His 1-of-11 shooting (9%) in the first half was much different than his 7-for-8 (88%) start two days prior. Combine VanVleet’s anemic start with a 23% showing from Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson, and that 51-47 halftime deficit looked like a generous gift from the Blazers.

Then, just as they have done numerous times during their current nine-game winning streak, Houston bounced back in the second half as Jalen Green torched Portland’s defense for 19 points (finishing with 27). It was his sixth straight game to score 25 or more points.

But as impressive as Green’s second-half performance was, it was the resurgence of VanVleet that helped the Rockets win, 110-92.

“He is going to keep his head in the game,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said about VanVleet’s resiliency. ‘He did not have a ton of assists due to us shooting poorly, but he was making the right plays.”

After the halftime break, Udoka used a different strategy to get VanVleet going as he turned his miserable first half into a respectable 4-of-7 shooting (57%), 13-point second half.

“What we tried to do was take him off the ball a little more,” Udoka said of the change in approach. “They were switching a lot and that gave us some trouble in the first half. We took him off the ball and ran some backside action that got him some better selections. That is the luxury with him. You can play him on or off the ball.”

VanVleet has been a calming presence for Houston this season, with his veteran leadership helping guide young players such as Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore as they seek to maximize their potential.

But it isn’t just coaches and teammates that recognize what VanVleet has done to help the Rockets (36-35) get over the hump this season. Opposing head coaches, such as Portland’s Chauncey Billups, acknowledge what he has done to help the Rockets improve.

“He is the last of a dying breed,” said Billups, who played 17 seasons in the NBA. “He is a pure point guard. He plays on both ends of the floor, and he plays the game from the neck up. That is not the case as much anymore, as the game has changed a bit in terms of that.”

“He is just a leader and has brought them (Rockets) that stability, he has brought them some toughness, he has elevated their (basketball) IQ, and he makes the game easy for a lot of those guys over there,” Billups concluded. “I think he allows Jalen Green to go and do what he does because he can put you in the right spots at all times. He knows how to speed the game up and slow the game down when it matters. It is a real treat to have a guy like that, and I am happy for Freddy.”

[lawrence-related id=122261,122022]

ESPN’s latest mock draft has Cody Williams headed to Chauncey Billups’ Blazers

ESPN is projecting Cody Williams to join Chauncey Billups and Jabari Walker in Portland

Due to injuries, Cody Williams’ freshman season on the Colorado men’s basketball team has been up and down. The former five-star recruit has flashed greatness in multiple big games but health issues have prevented him from displaying his elite abilities consistently.

Regardless, Williams will likely enter his name into the 2024 NBA draft and could be selected early in the first round. ESPN released its latest mock draft on Tuesday (subscription required) and Williams went fifth overall to the Portland Trail Blazers.

If ESPN’s projection lands, Williams would likely play for CU Buffs great Chauncey Billups, who’s currently navigating his third season as the Blazers’ head coach. Fellow former Buff Jabari Walker is also in Portland and averaging 8.3 points in his second NBA season.

Williams, the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, is averaging 14.2 points on 52.9% shooting in what could be his only collegiate season.

Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

On this day: Celtics trade Billups, others for Anderson, Jones and Tabak

On this day, Boston made what was widely regarded as one of the worst trades in franchise history.

On this day in 1998 in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise’s impatient coach and President of Basketball Operations Rick Pitino sent veteran point guard Dee Brown and his rookie backcourt teammate Chauncey Billups to the Toronto Raptors. This remains a wildly unpopular trade in many corners.

It sent Brown and Billups as well as power forward Roy Rogers and big man John Thomas to the Raptors in exchange for guard Kenny Anderson, power forward Popeye Jones, and big man Zan Tabak. The deal, often included on lists of the worst the club has made, netted Anderson in exchange.

He hadn’t even been with the Raptors for a week after having been traded to the team for point guard Damon Stoudamire, refusing to report to the Canadian franchise.

Chauncey Billups still sees potential star in Houston’s Jalen Green

“I think he’s gonna be just fine,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups says of slumping Rockets guard Jalen Green. “He’s definitely got a chance to be a star.”

When compared to his first two NBA seasons, 2023-24 is a statistical step back for third-year Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green.

After posting a team-high 22.1 points per game last season on 41.7% shooting and 33.8% from 3-point range, those numbers have dipped to 17.1 points on 39.7% shooting (32.0% on 3-pointers) this year.

But there are some extenuating circumstances. For starters, there’s a new coach, Ime Udoka, and a new system.

Beyond that, in Green’s first two NBA seasons, the Rockets went 20-62 and 22-60, respectively. This year, Houston (20-22) has become competitive. With that jump comes higher expectations and a new reality, such as Udoka occasionally keeping Green out of his closing lineup — should the 21-year-old be having a bad night.

The Portland Trail Blazers, who faced Green and the Rockets on Wednesday night in Houston, have their own example of a young shooting guard who didn’t break out until his fourth NBA season.

Over his first three NBA seasons, Anfernee Simons averaged 7.5 points per game. Starting with Season 4, however, Simons has bumped that to an average of approximately 20 points per game on strong efficiency (44.1% FG, 38.9% on 3-pointers), and he’s averaging a career-high 22.5 points and 4.8 assists this season.

Chauncey Billups, a former guard who didn’t fully hit his stride until landing on his fifth NBA team in Detroit, coaches Simons with the Trail Blazers. In pregame comments to reporters from Toyota Center, Billups made it clear he’s still a believer in what Green can do with the Rockets, and he still sees a path to stardom for the No. 2 pick from the first round of the 2021 NBA draft.

Here’s what Billups told Rockets Wire of Green’s future:

I just think that Jalen kid is uber-talented. He’s uber-aggressive out there.

It takes guards a lot more time. I would say point guards, more, but even in his position, as a two guard. Because when you get to this league, for the first time, you’re playing against players that are better than you. You’ve been the best on your team since you’ve been playing, but then you get here, and you’ve got to find a way to try to do that again. But you’ve also got teammates that are trying to prove things, too. So, it can’t just be about you. You’ve got to learn how to sacrifice, and learn how to be in that space.

In this case, he went through a change with the coach, and now he’s learning that system and learning how to play with some of those veterans. I think he’s gonna be just fine. He’s definitely got a chance to be a star.

With Green and Simons facing each other, the tip between the Rockets and Trail Blazers (12-31) is 7 p.m. Central.

[lawrence-related id=120109,119793]

6 incidents that had NBA coaches fuming over referees this season, including Steve Kerr’s Nuggets rant

NBA coaches seem a lot angrier than usual with referees this year.

The NBA has an officiating problem. That is, at least, if you listen to many of the head coaches around the association this season.

In a year that should be defined by stories like the Denver Nuggets’ pursuit of back-to-back championships, the rise of the young Oklahoma City Thunder, and Joel Embiid’s title pursuit with the Philadelphia 76ers, it feels like there’s a coach raging about skewed officiating seemingly every other night. Unfortunately, such a saga will often take precedence over more compelling on-court stories about some of the league’s better teams and brighter stars.

We’re over halfway into this NBA regular season, and we’ve already got more than a few doozies where coaches publicly ripped referees. Let’s take a look at some of the more high-profile incidents (so far).

Trail Blazers protest Thunder’s 111-109 win following Chauncey Billups’ ejection

Trail Blazers to protest Thunder’s 111-109 win following Chauncey Billups’ controversial ejection.

The final few possessions of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 111-109 win over the Portland Trail Blazers featured mayhem.

With 30 seconds left, Anfernee Simons hit a highly difficult 3-pointer to give the Trail Blazers a three-point lead. OKC responded on the next possession: Jalen Williams cut the deficit to one point.

After Brogdon was called for a double dribble with 15 seconds left, Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups lost his cool and charged the officials, earning himself two technicals and an automatic ejection.

The costly sequence resulted in two free-throw attempts and possession for the Thunder. It served as a death knell for Portland’s upset aspirations.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander split the free-throw attempts, but Williams hit the game-winner on the ensuing possession after working to get to his spot on the left elbow side to nail a fadeaway jumper.

After the game, head official Bill Kennedy explained Billups received two technicals because of physical contact with a referee and his reaction to the first technical.

“The first technical foul was issued due to contact while Chauncey was trying to express himself to the official,” Kennedy explained in a pool report. “He makes contact with the official two times, and the result is a technical foul.

“The second technical foul was assessed due to the fact that Chauncey aggressively now tries to follow and pursue the official after the first technical foul was assessed.”

After the game, Billups said he was upset because he tried to call a timeout when Brogdon was trapped before his costly turnover.

“We’ve got timeouts,” Billups said. “Referees usually are prepared for that, you know, that instance, that situation. I’m at half court, trying to call a timeout. It’s just frustrating. My guys played too hard for that. It’s a frustrating play.”

The Trail Blazers will reportedly protest the result due to Billups’ ejection resulting in two free throws and possession for the Thunder.

Per the NBA rules, a team must file a protest within 48 hours of the final result. Both the Thunder and Trail Blazers have five days to submit their evidence. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has five additional days to issue a ruling.

This was Portland’s best outing yet against OKC this season. Following two blowout losses that included a 62-point defeat, the Trail Blazers nearly pulled off the upset against the Thunder.

“They blew us out (by) 62 a week-and-a-half ago,” Billups said. “We said ‘Listen, either you’re going to roll or get rolled on.’ That’s how this game works. Our guys, they rolled today. They played really good, they shared the ball, defensively I thought we did a really good job, we made them earn everything.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

On this day: Billups, Mercer, Thomas, Carlisle, Palazzi, Guarilia debut; Edwards born

On this day, former Celtics Chauncey Billups, Ron Mercer, John Thomas, and Rick Carlisle made their debut for Boston, and Blue Edwards was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, point guard Chauncey Billups played his first game for the team. The Colorado product would later be traded in his rookie season after being selected by the Celtics with the third overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, but it wasn’t because of how he performed the first time he took the floor as a pro.

Billups put up a very healthy 15 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and two steals in his inaugural performance, shooting a sizzling 6-of-12 from the field, a much less sizzling 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.

That he did that in just under 17 minutes of game time off the bench makes it even more of a head-scratcher team president Rick Pitino would later trade the rookie scorer.

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups singles out Sixers star Tyrese Maxey

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups singles out Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey for his production.

PHILADELPHIA — Young Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is one of the rising stars in the NBA. Just 22 years old and in his fourth season in the league, Maxey is on his way to being a perennial All-Star and All-NBA performer.

As the Portland Trail Blazers visited the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups had a great deal to say about Maxey. Billups, a former NBA point guard and 2004 finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons, has been impressed with the young guard.

“I haven’t watched him that much other than just scouting their team this year, but I loved what he was able to do last season, and watching their prep for this game here is like his confidence has taken a different leap,” Billups said of Maxey. “He’s shooting the ball with so much confidence and, obviously, he’s a real attacking, aggressive guard.”

Maxey had 26 points, knocked down four 3s, shot 10-for-10 from the foul line and corralled 10 rebounds as the Sixers knocked off the Blazers 126-98 in the home opener. Joel Embiid had a monster game: 35 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and six blocks, but Billups believes Maxey is the one the Sixers need to succeed.

“He’s the straw that stirs the drink here,” Billups added. “Obviously, Embiid is the guy, he’s the man, he’s MVP. I think Tyrese makes this team go. They feed off his toughness, his energy and just his spirit. I think he’s the guy here. I love to see young guys really find themselves and when you do, the rest is history. We’ll see how good he can be. I love his ascension.”

Through the first three games of the season, Maxey is averaging 30.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists while shooting 56% from deep. It has been an impressive start for him, and Philadelphia is doing just fine without James Harden.

[lawrence-related id=85561,85564,85558]

On this day: Pierce narrowly survives stabbing; Fred Roberts trade; last win in Orlando bubble

On this day in 2000, Boston Celtics icon Paul Pierce narrowly survived being stabbed 11 times in his face, neck, and back – only to return and play all 82 games that season.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame Celtics champion small forward Paul Pierce was nearly stabbed to death in a Boston nightclub 22 years ago today.

The University of Kansas standout was taken by the Celtics with the 10th pick of the 1998 NBA draft and was poised to return for his third season in the league when he was stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and chest at the popular “Buzz Club” in the city of Boston’s Theater District. Teammate Tony Battie saved Pierce’s life, quickly rushing the Los Angeles native to a nearby hospital to treat his wounds.

There, Pierce underwent emergency surgery that likely saved his life.