Denver Nuggets: Farewell, And Thanks, Chauncey Billups
The playing career of Colorado’s greatest basketball player ever is officially over after Chauncey Billups announced his retirement on Tuesday after 17 years in the NBA, including five seasons with the Denver Nuggets.
I can speak for Nuggets fans around the world when saying, “Thank you for everything, Mr. Big Shot.” Billups was a class act in the NBA across his seven different teams, and we couldn’t of asked for a better person to represent Denver, the University of Colorado, the Nuggets, and Colorado sports in general.
He was an advocate for Colorado throughout his caree, and the former George Washington High Patriot and CU Buffalo will be returning home now that he’s retired according to Yahoo! Sports.
"“It’s just time,” Billups told Yahoo! Sports. “I’m happy, excited. The game was very, very good to me. I felt like I was equally as good to the game the way I played it and the way I respected it and the way I carried myself through the process.”"
In the NBA “process,” Billups averaged 15.2 points and 5.4 assists a game while shooting 38.7 percent from 3-point distance. As a Denver Nugget, Billups had his best non-Pistons seasons and averaged 16.9 points and 5.3 assists. He earned the name Mr. Big Shot for his clutch play and shooting early in his career, and backed it up by increasing his averages to 17.3 points and 5.7 assists a game in the postseason.
His best basketball achievement will always be winning Finals MVP while leading the Detroit Pistons to a championship in 2004. That win was right in the middle of an AMAZING seven straight conference finals appearances for Billups, including one conference finals trip with the Nuggets in 2009.
Billups racked up awards during those conference finals years. The point guard will retire as a five time NBA All-Star (2006-10), three time All-NBA team member (second team in 2006; third team in 2007 and 2009), two time All-Defensive second team member (2005, 2006), a J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award winner, NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, and the NBA Teammate of the Year award winner.
"“I wanted to be one of the best players of my era at my position,” Billups told Yahoo! Sports. “And I did that and I earned that. No one gave that to me. I earned every single thing.”"
Usually being one of the best at a position leads to the Hall of Fame, and Billups’ entire basketball resume is deserving of enshrinement.
"“The Hall of Fame would be a big dream,” Billups said. “It marks you down as one of the greatest players ever. It’s not what I shot for, but that would absolutely be a dream. I know in my heart I had a Hall-of-Fame worthy career. If you look at most Hall of Famers, I don’t know how many of them started off the way I started off and made it to the top.”"
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Hall or Fame or not, Chauncey is, and will always be, a LEGEND in Colorado. He not only led the Nuggets to their third conference finals appearance ever, but he also led CU to their first NCAA tournament victory in more than 30 years when he was in college, he was Mr. Basketball in high school three times, and he continues to dedicate himself to the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy in Denver – an organization that helps at-risk youth develop leadership and academic skills.
On top of his leadership academy duties, post-NBA life will include some much deserved family time Yahoo! Sports reported. However, that may be short lived as the Nuggets and Billups have already chatted some about a front office position according to the Denver Post. I’m not alone in hoping the Nuggets hire Billups, and that he continues to raise Colorado basketball up as a Nuggets executive.
A NBA title sounds really nice, and it’s hard to imagine that anyone is better suited than Chauncey to help get it done.
But first it’s time to say thanks. Thanks to the King of Park Hill, Chauncey Billups! Thanks for the amazing years with the Nuggets, Buffaloes, as Colorado’s Mr. Basketball three times. Thanks for bringing the Finals MVP trophy back to Denver for your parade after your 2004 championship.
But mostly, thanks for giving Coloradoan’s and basketball players everywhere a hometown hero we can all look up to.