tuelekza / Depositphotos.com
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has been charged in an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Billups, in his fifth season as head coach, was arrested in Oregon, where is expected to make an initial court appearance on Thursday, sources said.
Billups coached the Trail Blazers in their season opener on Wednesday night, a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Billups was also a star player, mostly for the Detroit Pistons, before retiring in 2014. He was a five-time All-Star in his 17 years in the NBA and led the Pistons to the NBA title in 2004, being named Finals MVP.
He was the No. 3 overall pick in 1997 and finished his career with 15.2 points and 5.4 assists per game.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier is also charged in a separate but related illegal gambling case. He is among six people charged Thursday with turning professional basketball into a criminal gambling operation by using inside information to place unlawful wagers, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
FBI Director Kash Patel is expected to announce the charges along with other law enforcement officials during a news conference Thursday in New York City.
Rozier is in his 11th year in the league with 13.9 points per game over 665 games played. He was a key contributor for the Boston Celtics on playoff runs in 2016-19.
His team opened the 2025 season Wednesday night in Orlando, but Rozier did not play as he deals with a hamstring injury.
Last year, former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter pleaded guilty to wire fraud and received a lifetime NBA ban after he bet on his team to lose, pretended to be hurt for gambling purposes and shared confidential information with gamblers.
