NBA’s Adam Silver ‘deeply disturbed’ by Billups, Rozier gambling indictments

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made his first public feedback for the reason that federal costs in opposition to Portland coach Chauncey Billups and Miami guard Terry Rozier and former participant Damon Jones in a wide-ranging gambling-related scheme.

“My preliminary response was that I used to be deeply disturbed,” Silver mentioned in an interview in the course of the Amazon Prime Video broadcast of Friday’s New York Knicks-Boston Celtics sport. “There’s nothing extra essential to the league and its followers than the integrity of the league. I had a pit in my abdomen. It was very disturbing.

“I apologize to our followers that we’re all coping with this case.”

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver held a press convention at Chase Middle in the course of the 2025 NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco, California, United States on February 15, 2025. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs)

Silver added that the NBA investigated and located no purpose to sanction Rozier when his case opened in March 2023 as a member of the Charlotte Hornets, and sports activities books warned the NBA about irregular patterns relating to Rozier’s “prop bets.”

“Actually, we could not discover something,” Silver mentioned. “Terry was cooperative on the time. He gave the league workplace his telephone. He sat down for an interview. And finally we concluded that regardless of that aberrant habits, there was inadequate proof to proceed.

‘He hasn’t been convicted of something but, in equity to Terry. It clearly does not look good. However he has now been positioned on administrative depart. There’s a stability right here between defending folks’s rights and investigating them.”

Earlier Friday, Congress received concerned.

The Home Committee on Commerce despatched a letter to Silver on Friday requesting info and a briefing to acquire details about the scandal.

The committee is in search of 5 key info factors from Silver:

“1. Particulars of the fraudulent, unlawful and alleged playing practices involving NBA gamers, coaches and officers, together with the actions of NBA gamers and coaches recognized within the current indictment; in addition to prior instances, a few of that are recognized above,” the letter mentioned.

“2. Actions the NBA intends to take to restrict the disclosure of private info for unlawful functions. 3. Whether or not the NBA Code of Conduct for Gamers and Coaches successfully prohibits unlawful actions, together with the disclosure of private info for the aim of unlawful playing schemes. 4. A proof of any gaps in present rules that enable unlawful playing schemes to function happen. 5. Whether or not and the way the NBA reevaluates the phrases of its partnerships with sports activities betting firms.”

NBA LEGEND CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, HEAT’S TERRY ROZIER ARRESTED AS PART OF FBI GAMBLING PROBE

The bipartisan letter was signed by six members of Congress on the Home Committee on Power and Commerce.

Rozier was arrested as a result of federal officers allege he conspired with associates to assist them win bets primarily based on his statistical efficiency. The allegations are much like what former Toronto participant Jontay Porter confronted earlier than he was banned from the league by Silver in 2024.

Billups is charged with conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and cash laundering for taking part in what federal officers known as mafia-backed rigged poker video games. He additionally matches the information of somebody described solely as Co-Conspirator 8 in an indictment detailing how some folks gave gamblers inside details about gamers’ well being standing.

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(Left) Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups talks to a referee throughout a first-half timeout in opposition to the Sacramento Kings on the Moda Middle in Portland, Oregon, on October 10, 2025. (Proper) Miami Warmth guard Terry Rozier (2) walks off the courtroom after the sport in opposition to the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Area in Detroit, Michigan, on November 12, 2024. (Jaime Valdez/Imagn Photographs; Rick Osentoski/Imagn Photographs)

The arrests have overshadowed the opening week of the competitors.

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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