Heat G Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers HC Chauncey Billups arrested in gambling probe

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers Head coach Chauncey Billups has been arrested in connection with a federal sports betting investigation, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The exact charge or charges they face were not immediately known. Two people spoke to the AP about Rozier on condition of anonymity because they could not publicly discuss details of the investigation. One of these people also told the AP about Billups’ arrest.

The NBA had no immediate comment. The league has previously investigated Rozier and is still looking into the former’s actions Detroit Pistons player Malik Beasleyone of the sources told AP.

Rozier was in uniform when the Heat played Magic in Orlando on Wednesday night, although he did not play in the game. He was taken into custody in Orlando early Thursday morning. The team did not immediately comment on the arrest.

Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, left a message Thursday. Trusti previously told ESPN that Rozier was told an initial investigation found he did nothing wrong after meeting with NBA and FBI officials in 2023, the sports network reported.

FBI Director Cash Patel and other law enforcement officials were expected to provide more information at a news conference Thursday.

The case was initiated by the same US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn that previously prosecuted the former NBA player Jontai Porter. Ex Toronto Raptors center pleaded guilty to charges that he pulled out of games early, claiming to be sick or injured, so those in the know could win big by betting on him to live up to expectations.

The game in question involving Rozier was played on March 23, 2023, a match between Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier played the first 9 minutes, 36 seconds of that game – and not only didn’t return that night, citing a foot problem, he didn’t even play that season. Charlotte had eight games remaining and was not in the playoffs, so it didn’t seem particularly unusual that Rozier was ruled out for the final games of the season.

In that March 23 game, Rozier finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists in the first period – a productive quarter, but well below his usual full-game total.

Posts still online from March 23, 2023 show that some bettors were furious with bookies that night when it became apparent that Rozier would not return to the Charlotte-New Orleans game after the first quarter, with many taking to social media to say something “shady” had happened with his bets for that night.

Associated Press reports.

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