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Veteran NBA Coaches Arrested in Illegal Gambling Bust
23 Oct
Summary
- Chauncey Billups and Erick Rozier arrested on October 23, 2025
- Billups charged in illegal poker operation tied to Mafia
- Rozier and former Cavaliers coach Damon Jones charged in related case

In a shocking turn of events, two veteran NBA coaches have been arrested in connection with illegal gambling operations. On October 23, 2025, Chauncey Billups, the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Erick Rozier, the head coach of the Miami Heat, were taken into custody.
Billups was charged in an illegal poker operation that was reportedly tied to the Mafia. He was arrested in Oregon, where he had been coaching the Trail Blazers in their season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves just the day before, on October 22, 2025.
Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones were also charged in a separate but related illegal gambling case. Rozier was arrested in Miami and did not play in the Heat's season opener against the Orlando Magic on October 22, 2025, citing a coach's decision.
The arrests were announced at a joint press conference held by the Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel on the morning of October 23, 2025. The officials are expected to provide further details on the cases during the conference.