Report: Chauncey Billups to be inducted into 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame
DENVER (KDVR) — Sources with The Athletic are saying that Colorado-born and former Denver Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups will be elected into the 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Billups was a local kid who made a name for himself and Colorado in the NBA. After playing 17 seasons in the NBA, Billups will finally be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shams Charania with The Athletic was the first to report the news. This comes ahead of the official announcement that will take place at the NCAA Final Four game on Saturday.
After his time as a player, Billups choose to stay with the NBA a little longer. He is currently the coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
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While the official announcement won’t be made until Saturday, Billups was asked about the possible induction during a Trail Blazers press conference on Wednesday.
“I call it basketball heaven if you will. But as a kid, I never even thought about it, I never even really knew about it. To be here now is unbelievable, it really is. I played the right way with it, I never chased stats, I never done none of those things, I just played the right way,” said Billups.
Coloradan through and through
Billups has quite the legacy in Colorado. He was born in Denver and grew up playing hoops in the Park Hill neighborhood, thus gaining the moniker “The King of Park Hill.”
According to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, his basketball recognition began in high school, where he was named to all-state teams each of his four years at George Washington High School. He also earned Colorado’s “Mr. Basketball” award three times.
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After being heavily recruited by universities, Billups ultimately choose to stay in state and continue his Colorado legacy by playing for the University of Colorado Buffaloes.
During his time as a Buff, Billups led CU to the NCAA tournament in his sophomore year and helped the university win its first tournament game in 30 years.
Eventually, Billups played for the Nuggets from 2008-11, helping the team rise to the Western Conference finals.
Legacy in the NBA
After only attending two years at CU, Billups entered the NBA draft and was selected by the Boston Celtics.
During his 17 professional seasons, he played for the Detroit Pistons, Nuggets, and New York Knicks among other short stints with other teams.
Billups retired before the start of the 2014-15 season.
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According to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, Billups was named an NBA all-star five times, averaged 15.2 points per game, 5.4 assists per game and had a free-throw percentage of 89.4%.
On Saturday, Billups is expected to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next to Vince Carter.
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