00:00Chauncey Billups, Portland Trail Blazers head coach, arrested by FBI for illegal gambling operation tied to Mafia.
00:07The NBA is rocked as Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is arrested by the FBI in a Mafia-linked illegal gambling probe.
00:16First reported by ESPN's Shams Charania agents took him into custody in Portland as part of a multi-state sting led by the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's Office.
00:25The FBI described a sweeping multi-state ring that allegedly laundered millions through private poker events and unlicensed betting exchanges.
00:34Billups, 48, was reportedly a regular participant in high-stakes poker, though authorities said the charges do not involve NBA betting or manipulating results.
00:44The timing is fraught as the NBA deepens ties with FanDuel and DraftKings after PASPA's 2018 repeal, recalling the 2007 Tim Donaghy case, though no game-fixing is alleged.
00:58The NBA has spent years trying to walk a fine line between profiting off gambling and maintaining the integrity of the game, said one Anonymous League executive.
01:09This puts that entire balance under a microscope.
01:12For Portland, the news compounds a 21-61 season, the team's worst since 2006.
01:19His absence, whether through suspension or removal, could derail early-season chemistry for a roster in upheaval.
01:26As Scoot Henderson arrived, Anfernee Simons was traded for Drew Holiday and Damian Lillard returned.
01:34Insiders expect assistant coach Scott Brooks to assume interim duties if Billups is suspended.
01:39In a separate case, federal agents in Orlando arrested Terry Rozier early Thursday for allegedly sharing insider injury and playing time information used for illegal wagering on player performance props.
01:53Prosecutors allege he supplied details to outside parties who placed high-stakes bets.
01:58Initial reports suggest he didn't personally wager, and the Miami Heat declined immediate comment.
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