NBA News: Who Are Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones?

Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones The arrests were made Thursday morning as part of an FBI investigation into alleged illegal gambling with ties to La Cosa Nostra crime families.

Billups and Jones Alleged to have knowingly participated in rigged poker games, Rozier and Jones allegedly leaked non-public information about NBA games to give those close to them a competitive advantage.

Each man has or had prominent roles in the NBA, but now their legacies seem tarnished.

Here’s an in-depth look at how Billups, Rozier and Jones got to where they are today.

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Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones were arrested Thursday for their alleged roles in illegal gambling schemes.

Chauncey Billups

Before stepping aside as coach, Billups was a key player, notably Detroit Pistons.

Billups, along with Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton, coached by Larry Brown, won an NBA title in 2004, when Billups was named Finals MVP.

Prior to that, Billups was the third overall pick by the Boston Celtics in 1997 after starring at Colorado. He was in Boston for about half a season before being traded to the Toronto Raptors. He was then traded Denver Nuggets The following year and signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2000.

Billups signed with Detroit before the 2002–03 season and found his niche, becoming a defensive stalwart and being named to four of his five All-Star teams as a Piston. From 2011 to the end of his career, he made final stops with the Nuggets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and then the Pistons before calling it a career. From 2003 to 2011, he averaged 17.3 points and 6.2 assists per game.

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups watches from the sidelines during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at Moda Center on April 6, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Soobum Im/Imagn Images)

He was hired as an assistant coach for the Clippers in 2020, which he then became Portland Trail Blazers Head coach next year. He agreed to a multi-year extension with the club in April.

Billups was allegedly dubbed one of the “face cards,” which the indictment said “were members of fraud syndicates and received a portion of the criminal proceeds in exchange for participation in the scheme.” According to the Justice Department, the scheme cost victims at least $7.15 million as of April 2019.

The DOJ said Billups was used “to attract victims to sports because of their status as former professional athletes”.

Billups was one of five defendants who “organized and participated in a rigged poker game” in Las Vegas “using a rigged shuffling machine,” causing the victims to lose at least $50,000. One of the defendants texted another co-conspirator that Billups should lose an arm on purpose to avoid suspicion of fraud.

During that game, one of the defendants said one of the victims “acted like Chauncey wanted his money” because he was “star-struck” by Billups, according to authorities.

In October 2020, Billups was allegedly wired $50,000 after a daring poker game.

Billups’ career earnings as a player exceeded $100 million, while Jones earned at least $20 million.

Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups (1) shoots a free throw during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons won 113-102. (Tim Fuller/USA TODAY Sports)

Billups is not listed in the sports betting scandal that led to Terry Rozier’s arrest. However, the DOJ cited a Trail Blazers-Chicago Bulls matchup on March 24, 2023, the day after Rozier’s alleged wrongdoing, in which a co-conspirator, “an NBA coach at the time,” allegedly told a longtime friend, also a defendant in the daring poker scheme, that Bea would be a “great night” pick for Rozier. Put some of the best players on the team. The rest of the players had not been made public yet. The team’s top four scorers, including Damian Lillard, did not play that night, as the other co-conspirators totaled more than $100,000 against Portland.

The “co-conspirator” in question is listed as a former NBA player whose career spanned from “approximately 1997 to 2014” and “an NBA coach from at least 2021.” Only billups fit that criteria.

Terry Rozier

Rozier was the only active NBA player, as he is accused Deliberately pulling out of the 2023 Games earlyCo-conspirators could allegedly place money on his “under” prop bets, citing injury.

Before essentially becoming a tarnished player, Rozier starred at the University of Louisville for two seasons before being selected 16th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Rozier was drafted by the Boston Celtics, where he spent his first four seasons mostly coming off the bench. He was traded Charlotte Hornets After the 2018-19 season, where he found his footing and became an everyday starter.

Terry Rozier #3 of the Charlotte Hornets brings the ball up court during their game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Spectrum Center on January 20, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kuferman/Getty Images)

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As his minutes increased, he averaged 18.0 points per game in his first season with Charlotte. The following season, he averaged 20.4 points and a career-high 21.1 points in the 2022–23 season.

Because of his feat, Rozier signed a four-year, $97 million contract extension with the Hornets before the start of the 2021-22 season. However, he was traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a first-round pick during the 2023–24 season.

It was initially reported in January that Rozier was being investigated for involvement in a game on March 23, 2023.

Rozier had told childhood friend DeNiro Laster that he would take himself out of the game early, citing an injury, so that Laster could make a salary based on the information. Hornets officials or betting companies were not informed of Rozier’s plan, according to the allegation, and Rozier was not listed on the team’s injury report.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson (5) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena on May 31, 2025. (Reggie Hildred/Imagine Images)

That information was then allegedly sold to other co-conspirators, and numerous people bet approximately $200,000 on Rozier’s “under” prop bets to hit in both parlay and straight wagers. After Rozier played just nine minutes and did not return, Bett won. Rozier and Laster counted the cash winnings about a week later at Rozier’s home in Charlotte, the indictment said.

Damon Jones

Despite being traded out of Houston in 1997, Jones still managed to play 11 seasons in the NBA. The definition of a journeyman, Jones played for 10 teams during his career. However, throughout his career, he was associated with major stars LeBron James During a three-year stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008. He also spent a season with the Miami Heat alongside Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal.

He became a coach after his playing career, with James and the Cavs winning a title as an assistant in 2016. Jones joined the Los Angeles Lakers, James’ current team, as an unofficial, unpaid member of the coaching staff for the 2022-23 season. Jones was accused of wrongdoing that season.

He is alleged to have been told by a person close to him that a “prospect” player on the Lakers would not play on February 9, 2023, before the information became public.

“Bet big on (the) Milwaukee (Bucks) tonight before it runs out! (Player 3) is out tonight. Bet enough so Jones can eat (sic) now!!!,” Jones allegedly texted a friend.

The DOJ says the player was ultimately ruled out because of a lower-body injury — James didn’t play that night because of an ankle injury that kept him out for two more games, and ESPN reports that the player in question is actually James. The game came two days after James scored 38 points to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

LeBron James (23) Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue (not pictured) and former teammate Damon Jones, center, talk during an off-day practice before the Golden State Warriors play the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Tuesday, June 27, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (San Francisco Chronicle via Carlos Avila Gonzalez/Getty Images)

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Jones opened up about another “one of the Lakers’ best players” 11 months later about an injury that likely affected his performance, which ultimately backfired as the player “did well” and the Lakers won.

Billups, Rosier and Jones, the latter of whom is a defendant in both cases, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The NBA announced that Billups and Rozier had been placed on immediate leave from their team, “and we will continue to cooperate with the appropriate authorities.”

“The integrity of our game is our highest priority,” the NBA said.

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