Identified as a core member, Billups arrest triggered a scandal involving NBA gambling.

Reprinted from: Yangtze Evening News

Late at night on October 23, a major gambling scandal broke out in the NBA. Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested by the FBI on illegal gambling-related charges. The incident triggered a chain reaction. The Trail Blazers Club announced the interim head coach candidate on the 24th.

According to case details disclosed at a press conference in the Eastern District of New York Federal Court, Billups was involved in a multi-state illegal gambling network investigation called "Operation Royal Flush" and was accused of participating in an illegal poker operation related to the Mafia. At the press conference, law enforcement agencies displayed fake card shufflers, X-ray tables and other equipment involved in the case, confirming that the gang used these high-tech means to manipulate poker games and lure players into the game to commit fraud. The press conference clarified that the case was a group crime, with a total of 31 defendants and millions of dollars involved. The head of the FBI emphasized that although Billups was not involved in game manipulation, as a former NBA champion and Finals MVP, his identity was used by criminal gangs as a "signature figure" to attract victims, and he was one of the core members of the illegal network.

Also arrested at the same time was former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, who was accused of being Billups' key liaison with criminal gangs. Rozier, another person involved in the case, is suspected of using internal information to leak his retirement plan in 2023 and assisting his accomplices in making profits through betting. The case is directly related to the Jontay Porter gambling scandal in 2024.

After the scandal was exposed, the NBA responded quickly, requiring the relevant clubs to immediately suspend the relevant personnel involved. The statement stated that it "maintains the integrity of the game with the most serious attitude." The Trail Blazers also announced on the 24th that assistant coach Thiago Splitter would temporarily take over as head coach to ensure the team's operation. This change has a potential impact on Chinese player Yang Hansen, who just joined the Trail Blazers as the 16th overall pick in the first round. As a new inside player that the Trail Blazers are optimistic about and plan to focus on training, Billups not only expressed his appreciation for Yang Hansen, but also specially designed tactical adaptations for him. This temporary coaching change and potential future head coaching changes may lead to forced adjustments to Yang Hansen's training plan. Currently, interim head coach Split has stated that he will continue the core framework of the team.

In 2021, the NBA league reached official cooperation with a number of gambling platforms to start the process of legalizing gambling. The cooperation has brought considerable revenue, and the league has made a lot of profits through data licensing, program sponsorship, etc. In 2023, the US sports betting industry will account for a significant proportion of the tens of billions in revenue.

However, business gains are also accompanied by risks. Against the background of legalization promoting the penetration of gambling, illegal gambling groups have repeatedly taken the opportunity to try to win over alliance personnel in the past few years. Although the alliance has a data monitoring team, it is unable to cover underground gambling and needs to rely on cross-state investigations by law enforcement agencies. Players and coaches have become coveted targets because they have inside information. The involvement of Rozier and Billups has confirmed the "insider risk."

As of now, Billups' lawyer has denied all accusations and the case has entered the judicial process.

Yangzi Evening News/Ziniu News reporter Huang Xiyin

Proofreading by Sheng Yuanyuan