The Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday officially presented the Chancey Billups because the group’s new head trainer. Nearly all half-hour of his news convention fascinated by his debatable background and main points of his recruitment, his courting with celebrity level guard Damien Lillard, and his imaginative and prescient to raise the Blazers to a name contender.
Billup received the activity over different finalists Becky Hyman and Mike D’Antoine, however following main points of the 1997 rape allegations ultimate week, the Blazers gained a right away backlash. General Manager Neil Olsche stated Tuesday that an unbiased investigation gave the group self assurance to transport ahead with Billup as trainer.
“We launched our own independent investigation into the incident in question [in] 1997,” stated Olsche. “The conclusion of that [investigation] Chauncey’s recollection of events confirmed, that nothing non-consensual happened. We stand with everyone in the organization, and believe he is the right person to be our head coach and the right choice to be an ambassador in the Portland community everyone is accustomed to.”
No felony fees have been filed within the 1997 case, however the billups settled a civil swimsuit filed by means of the lady.
“We’re really excited about Chauncey,” Olsche stated. “We know he’s the right choice for our franchise. We did everything in our power to review that incident and didn’t rely on what others had investigated before. His results said everything.” Confirmed what Chouance had informed us a number of occasions thru more than one interviews, not anything was once non-consensual and not anything would disqualify him from employment.”
When asked for details about the investigation — who was commissioned, what kind of details were found, etc. — Olsche declined to answer, calling it “proprietary.”
“With all honesty, and you’ve got my level,” said Olsche. “Along with everyone in the organization, we were aware of and understood the concerns expressed by people regarding some of the serious allegations of Chancey in 1997. We took the allegations very seriously, and we took them seriously they deserved “
In his opening remarks as Blazers trainer, Billups took the time to deal with the talk surrounding his appointment for the primary time.
“Before I talk about my role with the team and being the head coach, the first thing I want to talk about is… the incident that happened in 1997,” he stated. “Not a day goes by when I don’t think about how every decision we make can have a profound impact on a person’s life. I learned at a very young age as a player, but not only [as] but a player [as] A young man, a young adult, that every decision has consequences. And that led to some really, really healthy but difficult conversations that I had with my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time in 1997, and my daughters about what really happened and what they had to read about me. News and media.
“But this revel in has formed my lifestyles in many alternative techniques. My decision-making, clearly. Who I permit to be in my lifestyles, the friendships and relationships I’ve and the way I am going about them. It impacts each and every resolution I make. And it is formed me in some unbelievable techniques. I know the way essential it’s to have the proper strengthen gadget round you, particularly in tricky, tricky occasions.”
Later, when asked a follow-up question to find out more about how the incident shaped the billups, a moderator for the news conference intervened, saying it had already been addressed, And moved on to the next question.
Olsche’s relationship with the Billups stretches back to his time with the LA Clippers, when Olsche was the general manager and the Billups were a player. Olsche has long considered the Billups one of the best leaders the game has ever seen, and said his background as a point guard would be an advantage for the Blazers, whose two best players play on the backcourt.
“We have been on the lookout for any person I do know who has a herbal gravitas, management talents,” Olsche said. “Someone with historical past at the defensive finish of the ground, and we have been keen to guess at the upside.”
A large part of the Billups’ job will be focused on repairing some questionable tension within the Blazers, particularly with Lillard as the team tries to iron out last season’s disappointment. Lillard was asked to engage in the recruitment process with the finalists, participating via Zoom interviews at the ownership level.
“I’ve a in reality just right courting with Dem, and it has not anything to do with the instance,” Billups said. “Our courting is years previous… [and I have] He has at all times been a large fan of him. We’ve advanced a in reality just right friendship over time. Nothing adjustments now. Obviously I’ve to train him, we get to grasp each and every different extra, I’ve to carry him in command of being a super participant, however that does not trade who he’s, who I’m, who we’re. About each once more. Nothing adjustments for me.”
In the wake of the coaching backlash, Lillard tweeted last week about his involvement in the coaching search, saying he was unaware of any previous allegations. Lillard’s future with the organization has been in question recently, with a disappointing first round exit and his desire to compete for the championship potentially driving whispers about a potential business demand. But Olsche attempted to dismiss any of Lillard’s views, saying his franchise was determined to be a winner with the player Blazers.
“The happiness of a Dame has at all times revolved round successful and getting the risk to win on the best possible degree,” Olsche said. “Chancey goes to inherit it now, however the final accountability for that is on me and my team of workers. To put in combination a group that may run in the beginning of the season. [they have] A possibility to compete for the championship.
“This is the one, making sure the dame trusts him. Look, he loves Portland. Every conversation he doesn’t want to leave Portland, he wants to retire a trail blazer. He expressed that to me and the stakeholders in the company.” completed.”
On the floor, the Billups said their primary focus would be on the defensive end, where the Blazers were ranked 29th in defensive ratings last season. But he also sees the potential to escalate the Blazer offense around stars Lillard and CJ McCallum.
“I believe we will get even higher aggressively with extra ball pace, other plans, other performs, a bit of bit higher efficiency,” Billups said. “Playing a bit of extra on either side of the ground and no longer having Dame and CJ bails you out with photographs they may be able to make at all times.”
The Billups, who played 18 seasons in the NBA, signed a five-year deal with the Blazers (the fifth year is a team option), taking over the team after spending the season as an assistant coach with the Clippers on staff of Ty Lew.
“Today — today is a smart day for me and my circle of relatives,” Billups said. “It in reality is. This is my dream activity. We knew we needed to deal with [the allegation]But that is my dream activity. It’s one of the most absolute best days of my whole lifestyles.”
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