October 23, 2025 | STWF – A stunning development has sent shockwaves through the NBA community as Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were both arrested Thursday in connection with federal investigations into illegal gambling, according to multiple reports, including ESPN’s Shams Charania and ABC News.
Billups, 48, was taken into custody in Oregon as part of a separate but related probe involving an illegal poker and gambling operation allegedly tied to organized crime. Meanwhile, Rozier, 31, was arrested at a hotel in Orlando, Florida, less than 12 hours after the Heat’s season-opening loss to the Orlando Magic — a game in which he did not play due to a coach’s decision.
The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York confirmed that a news conference will be held at 10 a.m. ET Thursday to announce formal charges and additional arrests. Sources indicate that former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also arrested on charges of providing inside information about NBA games to co-defendants who used it to place sports bets.
Widening Federal Investigation
The arrests come amid growing scrutiny over sports betting irregularities involving NBA players and affiliates. Federal officials allege that certain individuals connected to the league used insider access and manipulated performances to influence player prop bets.
According to documents reviewed by ESPN and ABC News, Rozier’s case dates back to March 23, 2023, when sportsbooks flagged suspicious betting activity on his statistical props ahead of a Hornets-Pelicans matchup. Over a 46-minute window, a professional bettor placed 30 wagers totaling $13,759 on Rozier’s “unders” — bets that his points, rebounds, and assists would fall below projections.
Rozier played just 10 minutes in that game, citing a foot injury, before leaving the floor — triggering an immediate investigation. The NBA and the FBI met with Rozier multiple times later that year, and while the league initially cleared him of wrongdoing, the new federal evidence appears to have reopened the case.
In a statement provided to ESPN last year, Rozier’s attorney Jim Trusty said, “My client has cooperated fully with league and federal investigators and maintains his innocence.”
Billups’ Arrest Adds to NBA Fallout
While Rozier’s alleged involvement centers on betting manipulation, Billups’ arrest stems from a separate gambling investigation in Oregon that authorities say is “related but distinct.” According to the report, federal investigators allege that Billups participated in and potentially facilitated an illegal poker operation with Mafia ties.
Billups, a former NBA Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons and 2024 Hall of Fame inductee, has served as the Trail Blazers’ head coach since 2021. He was on the sidelines for Portland’s season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week.
The veteran coach, long regarded as one of the league’s most respected figures, is expected to make his initial court appearance later Thursday. Portland has not yet released an official statement, though multiple sources indicate that assistant coach Scott Brooks may assume interim duties pending the investigation’s outcome.
Connections to Jontay Porter Case
This latest scandal marks the second major betting controversy to hit the NBA in under a year. In April 2024, former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter was banned for life after admitting to manipulating in-game performances to benefit bettors wagering on his prop outcomes.
Porter later pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges, and four other men have since admitted to roles in the scheme. Sources close to the current investigation say federal prosecutors believe the Porter case and the Rozier betting probe may be part of a larger organized network that exploited player prop markets.
League and Betting Integrity Under Fire
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, speaking earlier this week on The Pat McAfee Show, acknowledged ongoing challenges in maintaining betting integrity amid the league’s deepening partnerships with sportsbooks.
“We’ve asked some of our partners to pull back prop bets, especially involving two-way players or those not regularly in the rotation,” Silver said. “We’re learning as we go — and working with betting companies — to prevent manipulation.”
With two high-profile figures now facing federal charges, the NBA finds itself once again at the intersection of professional sports and gambling ethics — a collision the league has long sought to avoid.
As Thursday’s arrests reverberate throughout the sports world, the question now is not only what happens next for Billups and Rozier, but also how deeply this scandal may reach into the NBA’s inner circle.
Federal prosecutors are expected to release further details during the scheduled press conference, including the specific charges, additional names, and the scope of the betting operations involved.
