Chauncey Billups
Mr. Big Shot: Hall of Fame point guard and current Trail Blazers head coach.
via Wikipedia: Chauncey Billups · see source
Chauncey Ray Billups (born September 25, 1976) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Quick Facts
- Position
- Head coach
- Born
- 25 September 1976
- Birthplace
- Denver, Colorado, U.S.
- High school
- George Washington (Denver, Colorado)
- College
- Colorado (1995–1997)
- Draft round
- 1
- Drafted by
- Boston Celtics
- Career position
- Point guard
Lore & Background
After playing college basketball with the Colorado Buffaloes, Billups was selected third overall in the 1997 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. A point guard, he played for seven NBA franchises over his 17-year career, most notably the Detroit Pistons, for whom he won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 after helping the Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. He was given the nickname 'Mr. Big Shot' for making late-game shots with Detroit. A five-time NBA All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, and two-time NBA All-Defensive selection, Billups also played for the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. Billups worked as a studio analyst after retiring from playing in 2014. The Pistons retired his No. 1 jersey in 2016. He started coaching as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2020–21 season. Billups was appointed as head coach of the Trail Blazers in 2021 and continues in that role.
Reader's Guide
Billups graduated from George Washington High School in Denver, Colorado in 1995. He chose the University of Colorado Boulder for college, where he averaged 18.5 points, 5.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game over two seasons. In the 1996–97 season, he was named to the All-Big 12 Conference First Team, the Basketball Times All-American First Team, and Consensus 2nd team All-American. He led the Buffaloes to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 28 years. Billups was drafted third overall in the 1997 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He was traded to the Toronto Raptors on February 18, 1998. On January 21, 1999, he was dealt to the Denver Nuggets. He was traded to the Orlando Magic on February 1, 2000, but never played a game for them due to an injured shoulder. He signed a three-year, $7.4 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In July 2002, he signed a 6-year, $34 million contract with the Detroit Pistons. He later played for the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.
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