Chauncey Ray Billups (born September 25, 1976) is an American professionalbasketball coach and former player who is the head coach of thePortland Trail Blazers of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). After playingcollege basketball with theColorado Buffaloes, he was selected third overall in the1997 NBA draft by theBoston Celtics. Billups spent the majority of his 17-year basketball career playing for theDetroit Pistons, where he won theNBA Finals MVP in 2004 after helping the Pistons beat theLos Angeles Lakers in theFinals.[1] He was given the nickname "Mr. Big Shot" for making late-game shots with Detroit.[2][3] A five-timeNBA All-Star, a three-timeAll-NBA selection, and two-timeNBA All-Defensive selection, Billups also played for theToronto Raptors,Denver Nuggets,Minnesota Timberwolves,New York Knicks, andLos Angeles Clippers during his NBA career. He was inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.[4]
Billups worked as a studio analyst after his retiring from playing in 2014. The Pistonsretired his No. 1 jersey in 2016.[5] He started coaching as an assistant for theLos 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 theFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for his alleged involvement inan illegal gambling scheme.
Born inDenver,Colorado,[6] Billups graduated fromGeorge 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 a freshman. He was selected to the 1995McDonald's All-American Team but did not play due to a shoulder injury.
For college, Billups chose theUniversity of Colorado Boulder over Kansas, Georgia Tech, University of California-Berkeley and Oklahoma State. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game over his two seasons with theBuffaloes. 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. That same season, Colorado finished second in the Big 12 conference with an overall record of 22–10. Billups then led the Buffaloes to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 28 years. As a 9-seed, Billups and the Buffalos upset the 8-seed Indiana Hoosiers 80–62 but then lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels 56–73. Billups averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.[7]
Billups was drafted third overall in the1997 NBA draft by theBoston Celtics. He did not mesh with new Celtics head coachRick Pitino. In his first career game, Billups recorded 15 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists in 16 minutes of playing time as a reserve in a win against the Michael Jordan-ledBulls.[8] In his eighth career game, Billups posted a then career-high 22 points, on 5-for-14 shooting from the field and 9-for-10 from the free throw line, to go along with 3 assists and 4 steals, in a 103–99 win over the visitingRaptors.[9] Years later, Billups reflected on his stint in Boston, commenting, "That didn't help. That didn't give me a chance to really slow down and listen to myself, listen to the game and what's going on. I never really had that chance. It was a recipe for disaster there." In addition, the Celtics coaching staff did not know whether to play him as apoint guard orshooting guard. Fifty-one games later, Billups was traded to theToronto Raptors on the trade deadline.[10]
On February 18, 1998, Billups was traded to theToronto Raptors, along withRoy Rogers,Dee Brown andJohn Thomas in exchange for All-Star point guardKenny Anderson,Žan Tabak andPopeye Jones.[10][11][12] On February 22, in just his second career game with the Raptors, Billups recorded a then-career high of 27 points on 5-for-13 shooting from the field and 13-for-16 from the free throw line, to go along with 2 rebounds and 5 assists in a 113–105 win over theVancouver Grizzlies.[13] On March 3, Billups recorded 26 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 6 assists in a 93–108 loss to the visitingUtah Jazz.[14] On April 14, Billups recorded 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in a 96–92 road win over the New Jersey Nets.[15]
On January 21, 1999, Billups was dealt to his hometownDenver Nuggets in a three-way deal involving one of Billups's future teams, theMinnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota receivedDean Garrett andBobby Jackson from Denver, Toronto received future teammateŽeljko Rebrača andMicheal Williams from Minnesota and the 5th pick in the1999 NBA draft from Denver, and Billups, along withTyson Wheeler, were sent to Denver from Toronto. Three months into his first tenure with the Nuggets, Billups visited a local Denver hospital in order to comfort and inspire Patrick Ireland, a victim of the 1999Columbine High School Shooting Massacre.[16] A year later, on February 1, 2000, Billups was traded to theOrlando Magic along withRon Mercer andJohnny Taylor in exchange forChris Gatling,Tariq Abdul-Wahad, a future first-round pick and cash.[17][18]
Billups was on the injured list until season's end due to an injured shoulder and never played a game for the Magic.[17] Despite this, he was included in the season-ending team photo.[19] Among NBA circles, Billups was considered a draft bust.[17]
Billups was signed on a three-year, $7.4 million contract by theMinnesota Timberwolves (who had been involved in the trade that sent Billups to Denver) as a back-up to then point guardTerrell Brandon, who would mentor the troubled player alongsideSam Mitchell,Wally Szczerbiak andKevin Garnett.[2][20] Billups would work with his more experienced teammates on shooting, scouting, decision-making and the other attributes that came with playing point guard in the NBA, such as learning to work more effectively with teammates and deciding which plays would be most beneficial for the team in a specific situation.[10]
In his first career game with theTimberwolves, Billups recorded 15 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists in a 106–98 road win over the Houston Rockets.[21] On November 11, 2000, Billups recorded his season-high in terms of points scored with 31 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 9 assists in a 103–92 road win over theBucks.[22]
During the 2001–02 season, Brandon suffered a serious knee injury. Billups replaced him and had a breakthrough 2001–02 season. The Timberwolves won 50 games before they were swept by theDallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs, with Billups averaging 22 points per game in the series.[2]
After his breakthrough season, Billups became afree agent. Billups wanted to return to the Timberwolves, but the team wanted to see how Brandon would respond to his knee injury.[2]
In July 2002, Billups signed a 6-year, $34 million contract with theDetroit Pistons to be the team's new startingpoint guard.[23] When he signed with the Pistons, he was forced to take the number 1 because number 4 was retired in honor ofJoe Dumars. Billups quickly earned respect from Pistons fans and colleagues for his tenacious defense and clutch shooting.
In 2002–03, Billups helped Detroit finish first overall in the Eastern Conference with a 50–32 regular season record. Billups earned the nickname "Mr. Big-Shot" during the regular season for two events. He first made a game winning three on March 9 as time expired to beat the Golden State Warriors 107–105 and Billups scored 31 points. The second event was just over two weeks later on March 26. The Pistons were tied in overtime with the Atlanta Hawks 99–99 until Billups made a top-of-the-key triple with 0.5 seconds left to win the game. Billups finished with 22 points against the Hawks. In the 2003 playoffs, the top-seed Pistons surprisingly fell behind the upstart 8-seed Orlando Magic in the first-round series 3 games to 1. In game 5, Billups played a contributing role in his team's dominating 98–67 victory by scoring 15 points, tied for second on the Pistons. Having helped the Pistons stave off elimination in game 5, Billups scored 40 points in game 6 to help the Pistons force a seventh game. In the decisive game 7, Billups scored 37 points to help clinch the series 4–3.
Detroit then beat thePhiladelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, 4–2, to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, Detroit was swept by theNew Jersey Nets, 4–0.Rick Carlisle was fired as the head coach in the offseason andLarry Brown was hired.
In the 2004 season, Billups averaged 16.9 points, 5.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. The Pistons improved their record to 54–28, but it was only good for the third seed overall in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.
In the pivotal game 3 during the first round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, which was tied 1–1, Billups led all scorers with 21 points and finished the scoring for his team by sinking 4 of 4 free throws in the final 31.2 seconds. These free throws were a key part of the Pistons effort to stave off the Bucks' relentless defense which kept Detroit from scoring a normal field goal during the last 5:34.[24] In the Eastern Conference Semifinals versus the defending Eastern Conference Champions the New Jersey Nets, Billups banked in a half-court three as time expired in game 5 to send the game into overtime. The Pistons would lose in triple overtime. Finally, he helped Detroit overcome a 3–2 series deficit to win the series, 4–3.[25]
In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the Pistons won the gritty, defensive series, 4–2, by an average score of 75.2 PPG to the Pacers' 72.7 PPG.[26]
Billups helped Detroit win the2004 NBA Finals over the heavily favoredLos Angeles Lakers, 4–1. He averaged per game 21 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals, as well as shooting 50.1 percent field goals, 47.1 percent three-pointers and 92.9 percent free throws to earn theNBA Finals MVP Award.[27] Billups said of his MVP award, "Everybody deserves this. Not just me. I wish I could turn it into thirteen pieces and give a little bit to everybody."[28]
The following season, Billups was named to the 2005 NBA Second All-Defensive Team, along with teammateTayshaun Prince, while teammate and co-captain of the PistonsBen Wallace took home the Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Pistons reached the2005 NBA Finals but lost in their bid to repeat as champions to theSan Antonio Spurs in seven games.
In 2006, Billups was co-captain of the team. Billups was selected to play in the2006 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve for theEastern Conference, along with teammatesRip Hamilton,Rasheed Wallace andBen Wallace. Pistons head coachFlip Saunders coached the Eastern Conference squad and put all four Pistons in the game when the east was falling behind; they were able to get the Eastern All-Star team back in the game. During the 2006NBA All-Star Weekend, Billups participated in theThree-point Shootout contest. He was eliminated in the first round of the contest after scoring 12 points. Billups called this moment when all four Pistons entered the game at the same time, one of the highlight moments of his career. Although he captained the Pistons to a franchise best 64–18 record, they failed to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time in three years.
In the2007 NBA All-Star Game, Billups was chosen as a reserve, along with teammateRip Hamilton, for the Eastern Conference, despite an injury that kept Billups out of five games early on in the season. Billups also took part in theShooting Stars Competition alongside former Piston andDetroit Shock head coachBill Laimbeer and Shock starSwin Cash. Team Detroit won the competition with Billups hitting the final half-court shot.[29]
On July 11, 2007, Billups signed a $46 million, four-year contract with the Pistons (which includes a team option for a fifth year at $14 million).[30] He had been anunrestricted free agent for several days after he opted out of the previous contract, which he had signed in 2002. Billups was selected to play as a reserve in the2008 NBA All-Star Game, along with teammates Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace, an injury replacement.
In the first round of the 2008 NBA playoffs, during game 3 against the Orlando Magic, Billups injured his right hamstring when Orlando Magic guardJameer Nelson tangled with Billup's left leg on a drive to the bucket. Billups would sit for the 3 remaining games of the series.[31] Billups and the Pistons again made it to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics, but lost the series, 4–2, to the eventual champions.
On November 3, 2008, Billups was traded back to his hometown team theDenver Nuggets along withAntonio McDyess andCheikh Samb forAllen Iverson.[32] Pistons GMJoe Dumars said that it was "the hardest and toughest" move he had made as a general manager, describing Billups as "... a guy that I have looked at as a little brother."
Billups chose the #7 jersey to honorDenver BroncosquarterbackJohn Elway, since two of his other favorite numbers, 1 and 4, were already worn byJ. R. Smith andKenyon Martin, respectively.[33] He played his first game of the Nuggets'2008–09 season on November 7, 2008. He recorded 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes of play in a 108–105 Nuggets' home win.[34] Billups was the only Nugget to be selected to the2009 NBA All-Star Game. He finished the season averaging 17.7 points and 6.4 assists per game.
With Billups andCarmelo Anthony, the Nuggets accomplished a number of franchise milestones. Their 54–28 record matched a franchise record, and their 27–14 start was also a franchise record for wins in the first half of a season. This also marked the first time in the franchise's history the team had gotten 50 wins in back-to-back seasons. They led the Northwest division for much of the season, eventually winning the division and gaining the number two seed in the Western Conference, matching the highest the team had ever been seeded for the playoffs. In the first round, they defeated theNew Orleans Hornets in 5 games, which included a record-equaling 58-point margin of victory. Billups also set a Nuggets franchise record with the most three-pointers in a playoff game with 8, and his 19 three-pointers in total is a Nuggets record for threes made in a playoff series. In his first year with the Nuggets, Billups led them back to theNBA Conference Finals for the first time since 1985. They would play the Lakers for the second straight year (the Lakers had swept them in the first round the year before). The Nuggets would ultimately lose the series 4–2. This was Billups's 7th straight conference finals. He joinedMagic Johnson,Michael Cooper,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar andKurt Rambis as the only players to accomplish this feat since theBoston Celtics of the 1950s and 1960s led byBill Russell. Billups finished the season sixth in voting for the 2009NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He was also selected to his secondAll-NBA Third Team.
For the2009–10 season, Billups reverted to wearing #1, the same number he wore with the Pistons. Teammate J. R. Smith, who had previously worn #1 since being acquired by the Nuggets in 2006, changed to the #5 jersey.[35] On November 27, 2009, in the Nuggets' 128–125 win over theNew York Knicks, Billups scored 32 points while teammate Carmelo Anthony scored 50. This made them only the third duo in NBA history to score at least 30 and 50 points, respectively. On February 5, 2010, Billups set a career high in points with a 39-point performance in a road win over theLos Angeles Lakers with 27 of them coming from 9 three-pointers. Billups was chosen as the replacement byDavid Stern for injuredNew Orleans Hornets point guardChris Paul at the2010 NBA All-Star Game.[36] During the 2010–11 season, he averaged 16.5 points, 5.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game. His .441 three-point field goal percentage was a career high.
Despite publicly professing his desire to finish his career in hometown Denver and retire as a member of the Nuggets, Billups was traded to theNew York Knicks on February 22, 2011[37] as part of theCarmelo Anthony deal. Billups was "collateral damage"—as more than one sportswriter put it—of Carmelo Anthony's desire to play in New York and the Nuggets' desire to trade Anthony before he became a free agent.[38] "Oh it was hard, hardest thing I've ever had to do", Billups said. "I had to tell my girls that daddy was traded, that he was leaving to play across the country. I told them it wasn't my choice, that nothing could be done about it. I had to go. It wasn't a happy scene."[39]
The Knicks finished 42–40 and clinched the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Billups suffered a knee injury while playing against the Celtics in game 1 of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. The injury would keep Billups sidelined for the remainder of the playoffs.[40]
Shortly after the Knicks were eliminated from the playoffs by theBoston Celtics, Billups mentioned he would love to return to the Knicks next season. "I would love the opportunity to really try it up with these guys", Billups said. "Not like play 30 games after a trade, like really have a season. Have an opportunity to really get a fair shake with these guys. I would love to."[41] In December 2011, the Knicks used theiramnesty clause on Billups and put him on waivers, ending his tenure with the Knicks.
After his tenure with the Knicks came to an end, Billups became an unrestricted free agent. Many believed that a contender like theMiami Heat or theLos Angeles Lakers would end up acquiring Billups. However, on December 12, 2011, theLos Angeles Clippers claimed Billups off waivers. Billups indicated that he did not want to be picked up by a team that was not contending for a championship and said he would retire if he was, pushing the NBA to warn him and his agent that he would be "in breach of his contract" if he did not show up.[42] However, the Clippers ended up trading for the Hornets' superstar point guardChris Paul two days later. After the Chris Paul trade, Billups said that he was happy to be with the Clippers, saying that "I think these guys are ready to take the next leap and hopefully I can help with that."[43]
Billups, a point guard, was moved into theshooting guard position, which he was still getting used to when he was injured.[44] On February 7, 2012, an MRI revealed a tear in Billups's Achilles tendon, ending his season after only 20 game appearances.[45] Billups helped the Clippers beat Miami, Oklahoma City, Orlando and the Los Angeles Lakers en route to a 19–9 start.[46]
On July 13, 2012, Billups re-signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal. He made his season debut on November 28, 2012, against theMinnesota Timberwolves. He was limited to only 22 games during the season because of various injuries,[47] including a sore back and tendinitis in his left foot.[44]
On June 10, 2013, Billups received the inauguralTwyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award. He was humbled by the award and said, "For my name to be mentioned with [Jack Twyman], I really don't feel worthy, to be honest with you. It's kind of embarrassing."[47] During the 2012–13 season, Billups averaged a new career high free-throw percentage. He became a free agent after the season.
On July 16, 2013, Billups signed a two-year, $5 million contract to return to the Detroit Pistons.[48][49] More knee problems caused him to miss most of the 2013–14 season, as he appeared in his fewest games since the1999–2000 season and averaged career lows in points, minutes, steals, field goal percentage and three-point percentage during the year. The Pistons finished the season at 29–53 and missed the postseason.
On June 30, 2014, the Pistons announced they would not pick up theirteam option on Billups's contract for the 2014–15 season.[50]
On September 9, 2014, Billups announced his retirement from the NBA after 17 years.[51] Billups cited his health as the main reason for his retirement, as he never appeared in more than 22 games in his last three seasons in the league.[52]
On February 10, 2016, the Pistons retired Billups's No. 1 jersey.[53]
In 2017, the creation of the 3-on-3 professional basketball leagueBIG3 was announced, with Billups set to be a player for the Killer 3's.[54]
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On November 16, 2020, Billups was hired as an assistant coach for theLos Angeles Clippers under head coachTyronn Lue.[55]
On June 27, 2021, Billups was hired as head coach of thePortland Trail Blazers.[56][57]
On April 13, 2025, Billups and the Trail Blazers agreed to a multiyear contract extension.[58]
On October 23, 2025, following his arrest as part of aninvestigation into illegal gambling, the NBA placed Billups on leave effective immediately.[59]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won anNBA championship |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | Boston | 51 | 44 | 25.4 | .390 | .339 | .817 | 2.2 | 4.3 | 1.5 | .0 | 11.1 |
| Toronto | 29 | 26 | 31.7 | .349 | .316 | .919 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 1.0 | .1 | 11.3 | |
| 1998–99 | Denver | 45 | 41 | 33.1 | .386 | .362 | .913 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 1.3 | .3 | 13.9 |
| 1999–00 | Denver | 13 | 5 | 23.5 | .337 | .171 | .841 | 2.6 | 3.0 | .8 | .2 | 8.6 |
| 2000–01 | Minnesota | 77 | 33 | 23.2 | .422 | .376 | .842 | 2.1 | 3.4 | .7 | .1 | 9.3 |
| 2001–02 | Minnesota | 82 | 54 | 28.7 | .423 | .394 | .885 | 2.8 | 5.5 | .8 | .2 | 12.5 |
| 2002–03 | Detroit | 74 | 74 | 31.4 | .421 | .392 | .878 | 3.7 | 3.9 | .9 | .2 | 16.2 |
| 2003–04† | Detroit | 78 | 78 | 35.4 | .394 | .388 | .878 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 1.1 | .1 | 16.9 |
| 2004–05 | Detroit | 80 | 80 | 35.8 | .442 | .426 | .898 | 3.4 | 5.8 | 1.0 | .1 | 16.5 |
| 2005–06 | Detroit | 81 | 81 | 36.1 | .418 | .433 | .894 | 3.1 | 8.6 | .9 | .1 | 18.5 |
| 2006–07 | Detroit | 70 | 70 | 36.2 | .427 | .345 | .883 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 1.2 | .2 | 17.0 |
| 2007–08 | Detroit | 78 | 78 | 32.3 | .448 | .401 | .918 | 2.7 | 6.8 | 1.3 | .2 | 17.0 |
| 2008–09 | Detroit | 2 | 2 | 35.0 | .333 | .286 | .918 | 5.0 | 7.5 | 1.5 | .5 | 12.5 |
| Denver | 77 | 77 | 35.3 | .420 | .410 | .900 | 3.0 | 6.4 | 1.2 | .2 | 17.9 | |
| 2009–10 | Denver | 73 | 73 | 34.1 | .418 | .386 | .910 | 3.1 | 5.6 | 1.1 | .1 | 19.5 |
| 2010–11 | Denver | 51 | 51 | 32.3 | .438 | .441 | .923 | 2.5 | 5.3 | 1.0 | .2 | 16.5 |
| New York | 21 | 21 | 31.6 | .403 | .328 | .902 | 3.1 | 5.5 | .9 | .1 | 17.5 | |
| 2011–12 | L.A. Clippers | 20 | 20 | 30.4 | .364 | .384 | .895 | 2.5 | 4.0 | .5 | .2 | 15.0 |
| 2012–13 | L.A. Clippers | 22 | 22 | 19.0 | .402 | .367 | .938 | 1.5 | 2.2 | .5 | .0 | 8.4 |
| 2013–14 | Detroit | 19 | 7 | 16.3 | .304 | .292 | .833 | 1.5 | 2.2 | .4 | .1 | 3.8 |
| Career | 1043 | 937 | 31.6 | .415 | .387 | .894 | 2.9 | 5.4 | 1.0 | .2 | 15.2 | |
| All-Star | 5 | 0 | 19.0 | .455 | .320 | .750 | 2.2 | 5.0 | .4 | .0 | 10.2 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Minnesota | 3 | 0 | 8.7 | .167 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.7 | .7 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| 2002 | Minnesota | 3 | 3 | 44.7 | .451 | .400 | .700 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 1.0 | .3 | 22.0 |
| 2003 | Detroit | 14 | 14 | 34.6 | .374 | .310 | .933 | 3.4 | 4.7 | .6 | .1 | 18.0 |
| 2004† | Detroit | 23 | 23 | 38.3 | .385 | .346 | .890 | 3.0 | 5.9 | 1.3 | .1 | 16.4 |
| 2005 | Detroit | 25 | 25 | 39.4 | .428 | .349 | .893 | 4.3 | 6.5 | 1.0 | .2 | 18.7 |
| 2006 | Detroit | 18 | 18 | 39.2 | .406 | .340 | .905 | 3.4 | 6.5 | 1.2 | .1 | 17.9 |
| 2007 | Detroit | 16 | 16 | 40.6 | .435 | .389 | .832 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 1.2 | .1 | 18.6 |
| 2008 | Detroit | 15 | 15 | 32.0 | .401 | .375 | .832 | 2.9 | 5.5 | .8 | .1 | 16.1 |
| 2009 | Denver | 16 | 16 | 38.7 | .457 | .468 | .906 | 3.8 | 6.8 | 1.3 | .3 | 20.6 |
| 2010 | Denver | 6 | 6 | 34.5 | .446 | .355 | .881 | 2.3 | 6.3 | 1.0 | .5 | 20.3 |
| 2011 | New York | 1 | 1 | 35.0 | .273 | .333 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 4.0 | .0 | .0 | 10.0 |
| 2013 | L.A. Clippers | 6 | 6 | 19.2 | .306 | .353 | .818 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .2 | .2 | 6.2 |
| Career | 146 | 143 | 36.4 | .411 | .366 | .880 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 1.0 | .2 | 17.3 | |
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 2021–22 | 82 | 27 | 55 | .329 | 4th inNorthwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| Portland | 2022–23 | 82 | 33 | 49 | .402 | 5th in Northwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| Portland | 2023–24 | 82 | 21 | 61 | .256 | 5th in Northwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| Portland | 2024–25 | 82 | 36 | 46 | .439 | 4th in Northwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| Career | 328 | 117 | 211 | .357 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
On March 5, 2006, Billups was selected to be a part of the2006–2008 USA Men's Senior National Team program developed to restore Team USA back to the top of the basketball world after disappointments in the2002 FIBA World Championship and the2004 Summer Olympic Games.[60] After missing out in the2006 FIBA World Championship for personal reasons, on August 20, 2007, Billups was selected to be a part of Team USA that competed at the2007 FIBA Americas Championship, a qualifying tournament for theBeijing Olympics.[61] Coming off the bench, he along with the other new members of the team including All StarKobe Bryant helped USA go unbeaten at the tournament held in Las Vegas and earn a spot at next Summer Olympics. On June 17, 2008, Billups announced he would not compete for a spot to be on the Olympic squad stating family reasons though he did say "they'll be fine. And when they win the gold, I'll feel like I had a big hand in regaining our dominance because of what we did last summer."[62] During the tournament, Team USA went unbeaten on their way to their first gold medal since the2000 Olympics, defeating Spain in the final.[63] In 2010, Billups was named to the US men's team that won gold in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, averaging 9.8 points and 2.6 assists per game in the tournament.
Billups joinedESPN in the 2014–15 NBA season as a studio analyst onSportsCenter and other programming.[64] The following season, Billups joinedNBA Countdown as a studio analyst on Wednesdays. In the ensuing three seasons, he began splitting time between the studio and working as a game analyst on selected telecasts. Finally, on August 16, 2019, Billups announced that he was exiting his role onNBA Countdown to become the game analyst onLos Angeles Clippers telecasts as part of that team's restructuring of the broadcast crew due to the retirement of longtime play-by-play announcerRalph Lawler.[65] Billups indicated that he would also continue to call selected NBA game telecasts on ESPN in addition to his duties with the Clippers.[66]
Billups and his wife have three daughters.[67][68] His younger brother,Rodney, played point guard for theUniversity of Denver from 2002 to 2005, was drafted in theNBA Development League, played professionally in Europe, and went on to a coaching career, becoming head coach of the Denver Pioneers in 2016.[69][70]
Billups is the first cousin ofrunning backLenDale White.[71] His second cousin Amir Billups of theBuffalo 716ers was killed in a 2015 car accident.[72]
Billups wore the #4 through high school and college and at times during his professional career because he idolized former Pistons guardJoe Dumars, the Pistons' President of Basketball Operations during his time with Detroit.[73] His favoriteNFL team is theDenver Broncos.[71]
Billups was featured on the cover of the video gameNBA Ballers: Phenom and is the player's mentor.
On June 16, 2008, Billups appeared atJoe Louis Arena for aBarack Obama rally.[74]
TheCoors Events Center has a large mural of Billups in the northeast corner of the arena as part of his "Chauncey's Kid Roundup" program.[75]
In 1997, Billups and fellow former CelticRon Mercer were accused of sexually assaulting a woman at the home of teammateAntoine Walker. According to a civil suit, Billups, Mercer and Walker's roommate Michael Irvin assaulted the woman at Walker's condo after leaving a Boston comedy club on November 9, 1997. A medical examination on the following day revealed injuries consistent with the victim's testimony.[76] No criminal charges were filed, but Billups and Mercer settled a civil suit in 2000.[77] Before he was hired as the head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, the club asserted that they had investigated this allegation and concluded it did not disqualify him from taking the role.[78]
On October 23, 2025, Billups was arrested as part of an ongoingfederal gambling investigation by theFBI. According to reports, his arrest was connected to anillegal poker operation with alleged ties toorganized crime. Authorities stated that the case was not related to any games he coached. Billups's alleged involvement primarily centered on participating in poker games that he knew were rigged.[79] Earlier that same day,Miami Heat playerTerry Rozier and former playerDamon Jones were also taken into custody in connection with the investigation. More than 30 people were charged in the investigation.[80]
The indictments alleged that the defendants were part of a sophisticated criminal conspiracy involving several members and associates of theBonanno,Genovese,Gambino andLucchese crime families inNew York. Prosecutors claimed that the group organized rigged high-stakes poker games in cities includingLas Vegas,Miami,Manhattan, and theHamptons, where victims were enticed to play alongside former professional athletes such as Billups and Jones. Participants allegedly used concealed technology—including contact lenses and glasses designed to read marked cards, modified shuffling machines, and an X-ray table—to cheat players out of millions of dollars. Officials stated that when victims refused to pay their debts, members of the crime families resorted to threats and intimidation. The scheme is believed to have defrauded victims of approximately $7 million, according to federal authorities.[81]
Although Billups was not directly named in Rozier's federal indictment, it reportedly referenced an unnamed "Co-Conspirator 8," described as anOregon resident who played in the NBA from 1997 to 2014 and has been a coach since 2021—details matching Billups's career timeline. The indictment alleged that this individual provided inside information about a Trail Blazers game in March 2023, indicating the team would betanking and that several players would be sidelined with injuries. Prosecutors claimed that this information was later used by other defendants to place bets against the Trail Blazers.[82]
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)The Blazers ultimately found nothing that they believed disqualified Billups from becoming the franchise's new head coach.
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