Chauncey Billups stops by GW as his old school names the court after him
Jan 17, 2023, 4:10 PM | Updated: 4:17 pm
“Mr. Big Shot” Chauncey Billups is back in his hometown tonight.
The Portland Trail Blazers, who play the Nuggets in a few hours at Ball Arena, are coached by Billups. The former Nuggets and CU star is affectionately known as “The King of Park Hill” around these parts, and that starts with what he did in high school.
Billups attended George Washington in from 1992-1995 and absolutely dominated. He was four-time All-State, three-time Colorado Mr. Basketball and made the ’95 McDonald’s All-American Team. He’s undoubtedly the best high school basketball player in our state’s history.
On Tuesday, George Washington hosted Billups back on campus and honored him. They invited the entire student body and unveiled “Chauncey Billups Court.” The pictures of the celebration are fantastic.
🏀Basketball superstar Coach Chauncey Billups stopped by his alma mater for their gym rededication ceremony!🎉 In honor of his legacy, the newly renovated gym is now named Chauncey Billups Court.💚 With these updates, GW hopes to continue its history of athletic success.🏆#MVP pic.twitter.com/58NmUyqgq2
— Denver Public Schools (@DPSNewsNow) January 17, 2023
How cool is that?! After his career with the Patriots, Billups headed to Boulder where he was a great player for the CU Buffs from 1995-1997, before being selected No. 3 overall by the Celtics in the NBA Draft. He bounced around, including a season with the Nuggets, before finding a home with Detroit.
Billups played for the Pistons from 2002-2008, with the highlight being named 2004 NBA Finals MVP. He was traded to the Nuggets at the end of his tenure in Detroit for Allen Iverson, and helped lead Denver all the way to the Western Conference Finals. He was in the league as player until 2014 and has coached the Blazers since 2021.
Billups is one of the top Colorado athletes of all-time, so it’s cool to see everything come full circle today. George Washington is where it all began, and neither the school nor Billups has forgotten that.
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