The call came in April but the impact, like a thunder clap from miles over the horizon, didn’t hit Chauncey Billups until much, much later.
Like July later. Like July in Cleveland later. Like July in Cleveland while signing autographs later.
“I had to do this sports memorabilia show,” Billups, the Denver native and Mile High City basketball icon told The Denver Post recently when asked about his scheduled induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next weekend. “It’s a big show — all the ‘who’s who’ do it.
“And a lot of the requests were for me to, after my autograph, put ‘HOF 24.’ And that was, like, a moment where it kind of was sinking in. Like, ‘Dang, this is it. This is actually it.’ So, yeah, yeah, it’s kind of crazy, man. It is starting to (sink in).”
The King of Park Hill, whose journey from northeast Denver to George Washington High to the CU Buffs to a 17-year career in the NBA and beyond, will see his story celebrated next Sunday in Springfield, Mass.
Billups, who’s beginning his fourth season as coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, is part of a 2024 HOF class that includes Vince Carter, Jerry West, Seimone Augustus, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Michele Timms, Doug Collins, Charles Smith, Harley Redin, Bo Ryan and Herb Simon.
“(When the Hall) actually called, they picked a (heck) of a day. It was April Fool’s. It was on April 1,” Billups recalled with a chuckle. “So when they called, I just kept saying, ‘If y’all are playing this sick joke on me, man, I’m never speaking to any of y’all again. That’s the worst.’”
No joke. And Billups, who was on a pregame walk in Orlando, where his Blazers were playing that evening, couldn’t help but think about the people who helped to get that historic career off the ground.
“There are so many people in your journey who helped get you where you are,” the 48-year-old reflected.
“I mean, obviously my parents, who are my biggest mentors and influencers and people. I’ve seen them go to work every single day and work extremely hard.
“My kids will be there. My wife has been along for (darn) near this whole journey with me, in terms of my career. I have a host of (mentors such as) Coach (Ricardo) Patton from CU and Coach (Tad) Boyle. I have a lot of people that will be there in attendance that I’m sure, if I don’t get to thank them during my speech …”
Ah, yes. The speech.
Mr. Big Shot was told by the Hall that there’s a limit on presenters — two, max. As of late summer, Billups, always looking to raise the bar, found himself pushing for at least three: Ben Wallace, his teammate with the Pistons, a compatriot on Detroit’s 2004 NBA champs and a Hall inductee in 2021; Tina Thompson, the former WNBA and USC great and Virginia women’s basketball coach, a member of the Hall since 2018; and Larry Brown, his coach with that Pistons title-winning team from 20 years ago.
“I may have some more,” Billups said with a grin. “There are supposed to be two, but I’m blowing by that. It’s my moment. I do my thing.”
While navigating one of the youngest rosters in the NBA through a brutally deep and unforgiving Western Conference has been a challenge, Billups can add his Hall induction to a number of high points this year — many of them CU-related.
Old friend Deion Sanders has the Buffs’ football team off to a 4-1 start. Boyle won two NCAA Tournament games with CU this past March, becoming the first Buffs men’s basketball coach to do so since 1955. And Billups has gotten a kick out of watching one of his Front Range hoops heirs, Parker native Derrick White, join him in the club of former Buffs greats to win an NBA title. The former Legend High standout notched a ring with the Boston Celtics, then followed that up by being named to Team USA’s gold-medal-winning squad at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“Derrick and I are very close,” Billups said of the 30-year-old White, whom he’d tutored at Denver-area camps when the latter was young.
“I’m so happy for him. His journey was a very rare one, as well — him having to take the route that he took (from UC Colorado Springs to CU). You look at him now, and not only (becoming an) NBA champion, he got paid this summer, he’s going and fighting for the gold for our country — I mean, what a year he’s having. And it couldn’t happen to a better, more humble dude.
“So I’m happy that I can kind of pass the torch on and pass the flag on to somebody else from around here that can do great things on the biggest stages in the world. I’m proud of Derek.”
Billups is only the second former CU player to ever be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. When asked if White could someday become the third, Mr. Big Shot smiled.
“Well, there’s a lot of work to be done in terms of that,” Billups replied. “But doing what he’s doing right now (with) championships … and (winning) a gold medal, and hopefully he’s an All-Star soon. There’s a lot of work to be done. But that’s something for him to strive for.”
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