NBA chaos as FBI arrests Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, Damon Jones...
The Portland coach’s detention comes just one game into the new season, in a case that also implicates the Miami man.
The NBA is once again in turmoil after a new illegal betting scandal erupted this week. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Chauncey Billups – the legendary former player and current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers – has been arrested by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a betting ring. The case adds another dark chapter to a growing issue within the league, just as the 2025–26 season gets underway.
FBI arrests Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier
Billups was on the sideline for Portland’s home opener, a 118–114 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Hours later, he was detained in connection with the alleged scheme. The FBI’s investigation, already linked to previous cases involving league figures such as Jontay Porter, underscores the increasingly dangerous ties between basketball and the booming sports betting industry.
Terry Rozier, guard for the Miami Heat and a name previously associated with similar incidents, has also been arrested, according to Charania and reporter Chris Haynes. The Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel are expected to hold a press conference soon to reveal more details about the operation.
Although Rozier didn’t play in Miami’s season opener – a 125–121 loss to the Orlando Magic – Billups was present with his team in Portland when federal agents intervened. It marks the first time in NBA history that a head coach has been implicated in such a case.
Reporter Tom Winter later clarified that the alleged offenses do not appear to be linked to games Billups himself coached. The NBA, the Heat, and the Trail Blazers have yet to issue official statements, but Commissioner Adam Silver and both franchises are expected to comment in the coming hours.
As NBC reports, former player Damon Jones has joined the others, so this story could well have more legs.
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