Chauncey Billups
(Born 1976)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2024
Card Shown: 2017-18 Panini
National Treasures
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’3″
bb
bb
Chauncey Billups played in the NBA for seventeen seasons and seven different teams. Those teams included the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers. Billups was a team-first player. He never chased statistics, but always looked for opportunities to make his teammates better. Two of Chauncey’s nicknames, “Big Shot” and “Smooth” describe his clutch play on the court and his calm demeanor that helped his teams to be successful.
Awards and Honors
- Chauncey played college basketball at the University of Colorado and was drafted in the first round, with the third overall pick, by the Celtics in 1997. The first and second picks were Tim Duncan and Keith Van Horn, respectively.
- Billups was a five-time NBA All-Star and made the team for the first time in his ninth season. He was an All-Star in consecutive years from 2006-2010.
- Chauncey played both sides of the ball well. He was selected to three All-NBA teams and two All-Defensive teams during his career. Billups also placed in the top twelve in the NBA Most Valuable Player voting four times.
- Billups led the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 NBA Championship, winning Finals MVP in the process. His team included Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton. The Pistons defeated a star-studded Lakers team, led by Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone, in five games.
- The NBA recognized the outstanding character of Billups as evidenced by his 2007-08 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, his 2008-09 Sportsmanship Award (Joe Dumars Trophy), and his 2012-13 Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.
Points of Interest
- Chauncey posted an incredible .676 winning percentage in games that he played as a member of the Pistons team (minimum 300 games).
- A great free throw shooter, Billups finished his NBA career with a stellar .894 free throw percentage which places him 6th in ABA/NBA history at the time of this writing. A few of the other great shooters ahead of him in this list include Stephen Curry, Steve Nash, Mark Price, and Damian Lillard.
- Billups had his number 1 jersey retired by the Detroit Pistons in 2016.
- After his playing day ended, Chauncey became an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2020-21 season. The next season he became the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
- In 1043 NBA games, Billups averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per contest.
Statistics
Chauncey Billups Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com
Personal Autograph Interaction
At the 2024 Hall of Fame Enshrinement weekend, Chauncey signed both of these cards at the Hall’s official autograph session. Even though players were only supposed to sign one item for each person, Chauncey said “we’ve got time” and signed the dual patch card for me as well. Both Chauncey and Ben Wallace ended up signing the second card on the patch, so I guess I should have specifically asked them to sign on their pictures, above the patches. I still think the card came out great, with both signatures partially on card and partially on patch!
Thank you, Chauncey!
In-Person Autograph Photos
The card on the left is the 2009-10 Panini Playoff National Treasures numbered 17/25. The card on the right is the 2004-05 Fleer Flair Courting Greatness numbered 10/99.