I Portland Trail Blazers they announced Chauncey Billups as the new coach. They did it in the presentation press conference, which lasted about 30 minutes. The 2004 NBA champion with the Pistons jersey beat the competition Mike D’Antoni e Becky Hammon and the work he had been waiting for a long time was judged. “We are very excited for Chauncey“Said the president of the Blazers Neil Olshey. “We know it’s the right choice for our deductible.”
An episode from Billups’ life attracted media attention
During the press conference, the media attention focused a lot on a episode that happened in 1997, concerning Billups. At the time, the former assistant of the Clippers was 20 years old (and he was a rookie at the Boston Celtics, ed.) And was accused, along with his partner (Ron Mercer) and another man, of raping a woman after meeting her in a club. Billups was never found guilty. Despite this, the case caused a stir and many Blazers fans were opposed to him becoming the coach of their hometown team.
“We took what happened then very seriously and treated it with the severity that was needed,Olshey said. “What emerged from that incident confirmed Chauncey’s thinking, which means that nothing non-consensual happened then. The whole organization is on his side and we think he’s the right person that the Portland community can get used to and see as an ambassador. “
“That episode affected my life,” Billups said
“There is not a day when I think that every action we take could have a profound impact on a person’s life,He said Chauncey Billups. “I learned when I was very young, as a player and beyond, as a young player and as a young adult, that every decision has consequences. And about this I had a complicated but very healthy conversation with my wife, who was still my girlfriend in 1997, and with my daughters about what really happened and what they might read about me in the newspapers and the media.” Olshey then has declined the ability to offer more information to reporters saying that the matter was “private”.
Despite some negative reactions from fans, the former Nuggets player said his desire for this job has never waned. “I’ve been part of this world for a few years now and I know how to deal with the media. My dream was to be the manager of a historical franchise and when I tell you this was a dream for me, well I’m not kidding. Obviously having a player like Dame, with whom I have an excellent relationship even off the pitch, and also having CJ and the other great players available to this franchise, made this job even more attractive.“
“But in the end, as already said, I wanted to be the manager of a historic team and that (the ’97 accident) it didn’t discourage me at all from achieving my dream. It failed to discourage me then and it will not do so now. So, having said all of this, I am very happy with this opportunity.”
Portland Trail Blazers and Chauncey Billups together for the future
“We offered Chauncey a long contract (4 years plus a team option for the fifth, ed) despite not having much experience as a coach because we want him to grow together with the organization. We looked at someone with unfulfilled potential and he seemed like the right choice. We really believe in Chauncey. We want our relationship to last a long time. And we are confident that it will be. We didn’t hire the most experienced coach, but the one with the greatest potential. We needed leadership and he is renowned throughout the NBA as one of the best leaders. Besides, it’s a Hall of Famer, in my opinion, ”Olshey said.
“I’ll just try to always be myself. And so far it has worked in my life. I’m fine with who I am. My passion for this game, my passion for winning, my passion for being a leader and competing, I found a lot of this in the fans. I will try to do my job in the best possible way and try to guide our guys in the best possible way. And everything else will then come by itself, in my opinion. This is a great day for me and my family. This is my dream job and this is one of the best days of my life,” ha detto Chauncey Billups.
