Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups wasn’t on the sidelines Sunday afternoon for the team’s 105-85 preseason victory against the Sacramento Kings. Instead, Billups was in Springfield, Massachusetts, as the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him into its prestigious club of basketball greats.
The Hall of Fame enshrined Billups and 12 others as part of its 2024 class. Before entering coaching, Billups enjoyed a decorated playing career from 1997-2014. Billups earned five NBA All-Star appearances and a Finals MVP trophy from his 2004 title with the Detroit Pistons.
At the ceremony, Billups delivered a 15-minute speech about his long, winding path to reach this achievement.