Blazers HC Chauncey Billups Acknowledges Major Portland Issues in Hall of Fame Speech

The fourth-year Portland head coach pulled few punches.

Oct 13, 2024; Uncasville, Conn, USA; Class of 2024 inductee Chauncey Billups speaks during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Symphony Hall Springfield. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Fourth-year Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups sat out the club's 105-85 decimation of the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, as he was busy delivering his remarks amidst his enshrinement (as a player) the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Billups joined 12 other inductees. A five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA honoree, two-time All-Defensive Second Teamer, and 2004 Finals MVP, the 6-foot-3 point guard enjoyed a 17-year NBA career highlighted by stints with the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets.

The UConn product also suited up for the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers. Across 1,043 career regular season games (937 starts), Billups boasts averages of 15.2 points on .415/.387/.894 shooting splits, 5.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals a night.

When his playing career ended following a brief return to Detroit in 2013-14, Billups latched on with Tyronn Lue's Clippers staff as an assistant coach in 2020-21. Billups has been Portland's head coach since the subsequent 2021-22 season, posting a brutal 81-165 record on mostly tanking Trail Blazers teams.

During his enshrinement speech, Billups touched on his uneven pro start, which included being traded from the Celtics midway through his rookie season — despite being the No. 3 overall selection in the 1997 NBA Draft.

Billups took special care to signal out how his Pistons tenure cemented his legacy. While with Detroit, he went to five straight Eastern Conference Finals, including two consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005.

"I could go on forever about what Detroit means to me, but I will just say this: It was in Detroit where I became an NBA champion; it was in Detroit where I became 'Mr. Big Shot' [his celebrated NBA nickname]," Billups said. "It was in Detroit where I finally became an All-Star; it was in Detroit where I became known as a winner, which is all I ever wanted; and it was in Detroit where that No. 1 jersey is hanging in the rafters."

Billups also went on to shout out Trail Blazers owner Jody Allen, who brought on the legendary point guard for his first head coaching gig.

"I want to thank Jody Allen for taking a chance on me and giving me the chance to lead the Portland Trail Blazers organization," Billups said. "My coaching journey has started off a little bit like my playing journey. It’s been a little rough, but I feel the same way as a coach as I did as a player. I will win, maybe not immediately, but definitely."

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