About Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups (born September 25, 1976) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the suspended head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing college basketball with the Colorado Buffaloes, he was selected third overall in the 1997 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. A point guard, Billups played for seven NBA franchises over spent his 17-year basketball 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, a 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 during his NBA career. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. Billups worked as a studio analyst after his 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. In October 2025, Billups was arrested by the FBI for his alleged involvement in an illegal gambling scheme. He was subsequently suspended indefinitely by the NBA, with Tiago Splitter serving as acting head coach.
High school career Born in Denver, Colorado, Billups graduated from George Washington High School in 1995. At George Washington, he was a four-time All-State first team pick, Colorado Mr. Basketball three times, and Colorado Player of the Year as a sophomore and as a junior. He started on varsity as
Coaching Career
Los Angeles Clippers (2020–2021)
On November 16, 2020, Billups was hired as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers under head coach Tyronn Lue.
Portland Trail Blazers (2021–2025)
On June 27, 2021, Billups was hired as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
On April 13, 2025, Billups and the Trail Blazers agreed to a multiyear contract extension.
On October 23, 2025, following his arrest as part of an investigation into illegal gambling, the NBA placed Billups on leave effective immediately.