Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has been arrested as part of a major federal investigation into an illegal poker ring connected to organized crime, according to The New York Post.
Billups, 49, who won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons, was taken into custody in Oregon on Thursday morning — just hours after coaching the Blazers in their season opener.
The alleged poker operation is said to be tied to the Gambino, Bonanno, and Genovese crime families. In total, 31 people across the country have been charged with running or participating in the scheme. Authorities say the poker games were held in Manhattan, the Hamptons, and Las Vegas and were rigged using special technology and card-shuffling machines to ensure the mob-controlled “house” always won.
Players, including Billups and others, were reportedly paid by mobsters to win or lose on command — not to pay off gambling debts but to manipulate the outcomes for profit.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier
Also charged is former NBA player Damon Jones, 49, who played 11 years in the league, and Miami Heat guard Ter ry Rozier, known as “Scary Terry,” who faces charges in a separate but related gambling case, per ABC News.
Rozier had previously been investigated for suspicious betting activity during his time with the Charlotte Hornets in March 2023, but the NBA did not find any rule violations at the time.
Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, confirmed his client had already met with the NBA and FBI last year and criticized how the arrest was handled Thursday morning.
Billups is expected to appear in federal court in Oregon first and later in Brooklyn federal court, where the case is being led by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York.
Chauncey Billups, born September 25, 1976, in Denver, Colorado, is a former NBA star and the current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. Nicknamed “Mr. Big Shot” for his clutch performances, Billups played 17 seasons in the NBA, earning five All-Star selections and leading the Detroit Pistons to an NBA Championship in 2004, where he was named Finals MVP. Drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics in 1997, he went on to play for teams including the Nuggets, Timberwolves, Clippers, and Knicks. Known for his leadership and court intelligence, Billups transitioned to broadcasting and later coaching, becoming the Blazers’ head coach in 2021. Off the court, he has been involved in mentoring and community work.