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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2021)
Page 6 July 7, 2021 S PORTS Blazers ‘Stand by’ Billups Hire New coach introduced amid criticism (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers went into damage-control mode while introducing Chaunc- ey Billups as their new coach last week, amid questions about how they selected him over more expe- rienced candidates and how sexu- al assault allegations were lodged against him nearly a quarter-cen- tury ago. Billups never faced charges related to those allegations that came out in 1997 and settled out of court with the accuser three years later. He addressed that chapter Tuesday, though when he was asked to elaborate on some of those comments the Trail Blazers refused to let him answer. Neil Olshey, the team’s presi- dent of basketball operations, said the team hired an independent firm to look into the sexual assault alle- gations and determined that noth- ing nonconsensual had occurred. “We stand by Chauncey, every- one in the organization, and be- lieve he’s the right choice to be our head coach, and the right choice to be the kind of ambassador in the Portland community everybody here has become accustomed to,” Olshey said. Billups, a five-time NBA All- Star over a 17-year playing career, has never been a head coach. He has served as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers for the past season. The 44-year-old Billups spoke broadly about the concerns from the 1997 allegations, saying “there’s not a day that goes by” in which he doesn’t think about the impact any decision can have on someone’s life. “I learned at a very young age — as a player, and not only a play- er but a young man, a young adult — that every decision, has con- sequences,” Billups said. “And that’s led to some really, really healthy, but tough conversations that I’ve had to have with my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time in 1997, and my daughters about what actually happened, and about what they may have to read about me in the news and then the media.” When a reporter asked Billups to elaborate, a moderator said the question had already been an- swered and called on another re- porter. The Blazers settled on Billups after an interview process where several people -- San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon among them -- were talked to about the job. Others known to have been on Portland’s list were Brooklyn assistant Mike D’Anto- ni and Los Angeles Lakers assis- tant Jason Kidd, who withdrew his name from consideration. Over the course of his career, Billups played for Boston, To- ronto, Denver, Minnesota, De- troit, New York and the Clippers. Known as “Mr. Big Shot,” he was Chauncey Billups talks to media Tuesday after being announced as MVP of the 2004 NBA Finals af- the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers at the team’s practice ter leading the Pistons to a title. facility in Tualatin. (AP photo) Portland Native to Coach Celtics Former Portland native and Portland State University basket- ball star Ime Udoka has become the first PSU player ever to be named Head Coach in the NBA, named last week to coach the Bos- ton Celtics. Udoka, an alum of Portland’s Jefferson High School, end- ed up playing seven seasons in the NBA. He started 75 games for the Portland Trailblazers in 2006-07. The 43-year old was an assis- tant coach for seven seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, an assis- tant with the Philadelphia 76ers for one year, and this past season with the Brooklyn Nets. He won an NBA Championship as an as- sistant with the Spurs in 2013-14. Udoka was also an assistant for the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s National Team. “It’s an honor to be a part of the historic Celtics franchise,” said Udoka. “I look forward to getting started right away.” Ime Udoka reacts during an NBA basketball game back in 2015 while serving as the assistant coach for the San Anonio Spurs. (AP file photo)
