An NBA star and head coach were both arrested early Thursday as part of a sweeping FBI investigation into illegal sports betting.
Miami Heat star Terry Rozier was apprehended at a hotel in Orlando, Florida. Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers was also picked up by law enforcement.
Both arrests come months after Rozier was cleared by an internal NBA investigation. Billups’ arrest is not related to games he coached, according to law enforcement sources.
An FBI press conference on the investigation is being held at 10 a.m. with director Kash Patel and prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York.
Unusual betting patterns around a 2023 game, which Rozier played with the Charlotte Hornets, had sparked the investigation. Bookmakers in multiple states reported suspicious interest in his statistics, resulting in a surge of bets on his points, rebounds and assists.
In that game, Rozier scored five points, four rebounds and two assists within 10 minutes, but then left the court complaining of a foot injury, and did not return, causing outrage from online betters.
Rozier was linked to the same probe that led to former Toronto Raptors player, Jontay Porter, being banned for life from the NBA, and eventually pleading guilty to committing wire fraud in a criminal prosecution.
Prior to his coaching role at the Blazers, Billups enjoyed a storied player career, and is a five time NBA All-Star and former NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
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