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| Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images |
In what could turn out to be one of the biggest scandals in sports history, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has reportedly been arrested in relation to a federal sports betting probe.
Early on Thursday morning, reports emerged that Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was picked up by federal officials regarding his involvement in illegal sports betting on NBA games. The investigation has been going on since the summer, and Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley was linked to the inquiry until authorities revealed he was no longer part of the investigation.
However, soon after the news about Rozier’s arrest came a bombshell. Current Trail Blazers head coach Chauncy Billups has also been arrested over allegations of illegal bets on NBA games. Interestingly enough, ABC News is reporting that his arrest is connected with a separate FBI investigation, and this one actually has worrisome links to the mafia.
That is the only information that has been leaked regarding his arrest. However, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York, and FBI Director Kash Patel are scheduled to hold a press conference to unveil further information on the case.
The five-time NBA All-Star and one-time champion is obviously innocent until proven guilty. However, if a court does find wrongdoing, it will be one of the biggest sports scandals of all time. But where does it rank among the most egregious in sports history?
Where does Chauncey Billups’ arrest rank among the greatest sports scandals?
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| Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images |
Obviously, the worst of the worst is the 1919 “Black Sox” scandal when eight Chicago White Sox players purposely threw games during that year’s World Series. Pete Rose is the greatest pure hitter in MLB history, but he was banned for life — until this year — after it was found he had bet on games he was involved in as manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
After winning shockingly winning the 2006 Tour de France, former Lance Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis was found to have been doping his way to the championship. In hindsight, it wasn’t too surprising since Armstrong also doped himself into becoming a cycling legend.
Arguably, the worst in NBA history was when a federal investigation found that veteran referee Tim Donaghy used his influence on games to alter scores for illegal sports betting purposes.
Pro athletes being involved in illegal betting is only shocking because they don’t need to, since the majority of them are millionaires. While Donaghy’s offenses were stunning, it does make sense because referees aren’t wealthy, and they can have such a huge but hard-to-notice influence on games. Billups, who made around $100 million during his career and is paid well now, being involved really is bewildering.
More information will be revealed soon, but if the NBA coach was involved in a scenario to alter games, and it was connected to organized crime, it would be a top-five scandal in sports history.
- JASON BURGOS
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