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The Trail Blazers are getting reactions from the public over their choice to hire Chauncey Billups as their next head coach, but criticism will not affect their decision, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link to “NBA Countdown).
The outcry is linked to a sexual assault case involving Billups and some of his teammates in 1997. No criminal charges were laid against Billups, and the case was ultimately settled in a civil court.
Wojnarowski says that after speaking to Billups on Wednesday, Blazers management investigated the charges. Billups’ version of events in subsequent interviews with general manager Neil Olshey and owner Jody Allen was consistent with what the investigation found and he was offered the job on Friday night, Wojnarowski adds.
Portland is continuing to work on the details of the contract with Billups and is expected to announce his hiring in the coming days, according to Wojnarowski.
Billups’ choice was unpopular in the Portland media, with The Oregonian’s John Canzano calling it “the most pathetic hiring masquerade in state history.” He points out that the Trail Blazers were fortunate enough to make history by hiring Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, who was a finalist for the job, or they could have brought back Ime Udoka, a former team assistant, who was hired by the Celtics instead. .
Canzano says the decision on Billups is the work of Olshey, who picked him as the lead candidate early on. Canzano suggests Olshey has too much power in the organization and ignores the team’s history of alienating fans by having too many players accused of serious crimes.
The negative response even reached Blazers star Damian Lillard, who identified Billups as one of his favorite picks shortly after the team parted ways with Terry Stotts, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
After being accused by a fan of being responsible for hiring Billups, Lillard tweeted: “Really? I was asked which coaches I liked out of the names I had “heard” and I named them. Sorry I was not aware of their story, I did not read the news when I was 7/8 years old. I can’t stand these things, but if it’s the road you want to come to me say less.
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