Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat star Terry Rozier have been arrested as part of an ongoing FBI gambling investigation.
Billups and Rozier were arrested by FBI agents on Thursday morning. The official charges against them are expected to be announced by officials in a news conference at 10 a.m. ET.
Aaron Katersky of ABC News reports that the charges against Billups are related to an illegal poker operation that is tied to the Mafia. Billups coached the Trail Blazers on Wednesday night in their season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which Portland lost 118-114.
Rozier was reportedly among six people charged with turning professional basketball into a criminal gambling operation by using inside information to place unlawful wagers.
Rozier did not play in the Heat’s game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, but it appears he traveled with the team. The veteran guard was reportedly arrested in Orlando.
News emerged in January that Rozier was caught up in the same investigation that led the NBA to issue a lifetime ban to Jontay Porter for manipulating games for gambling purposes. Fans quickly uncovered some very suspicious moments involving Rozier, but he has not been disciplined by the NBA. ESPN’s Shams Charania said in June that it looked like Rozier had been cleared.
Rozier had one of his worst career seasons with Miami last season. He averaged just 10.6 points per game while shooting 39.1 percent from the field.
Billups, a five-time All-Star and NBA champion, is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Blazers. The team went 36-46 last year and has not had a winning season under Billups.
