“It’s just time”!
With those three little words, Chauncey Billups, with a head held high to the rafters said goodbye to the game.
NBA basketball will never be the same. With sports news negatively being dominated by racist and abusive behavior that is giving the majority of owners their marching orders, someone who worked hard and earned his place in this association is missing his lap of honor.
So in the name of positivity and what this beautiful game is all about lets bid a fond farewell to the man announcers simply knew as B-B-BI-BILLUPS!
An NBA champion and Finals Most Valuable Player this man led a formidable five of Ben and Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and the Mr. Big Shot he went by himself over the Los Angeles Lakers fab four of Shaq, Kobe, Karl Malone and Gary Payton to a championship in 2004 in what all seemed like yesterday.
Now tell me today, who’s going to the Hall of Fame?
Detroit should definitely retire their former number ones jersey, especially as he came home for a second stint to close out the climatic chapter of a classic career. This man is as Detroit basketball as the 80’s ‘Bad Boys’ and their leading Point Isaiah Thomas. The greatest general since then and an even purer point this guy played Michael Bay with a championship explosion and Laker sunset for what people called ‘Bad Boys 2’. It was still a somewhat underrated Hall Of Fame, defensive team of San Antonio proportions of unity and 1 through 5 to 15 definition. Almost as underrated as his team even with the hardware this true professional leader is actually one of the best Point Guards and champions of all time. Just imagine what the face if the league would look like if he played with Tim Duncan?
The Denver native, born and raised in Colorado high schools and colleges also had two stints with the Nuggets where he truly came home. Drafted however as the future of the Boston Celtics here’s betting in retrospect this franchises wishes they kept their top point like Rajon Rondo. Hindsight and all that however. Canadian fans may remember this guy as a Toronto Raptor and if you want to keep it on more icy terrain we all know like Kevin Garnett just how big a star this guy was getting in Minnesota as a Timberwolf.
This veteran journeyman also held court with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire briefly as a New York Knick big three. He also served as a brilliant back-up for Chris Paul out in California with the Clippers before injury came calling time on his career. Still just like in his Motown swan song reunion from the prime to the pine and the clutch to the championship this kid from Denver was Detroit through and through when it came to round-ball.
This guy was so clutch he even took nicknames off the greatest last second threat Robert Horry. No wonder Bob left the Lakers before Chaunce took chips off him too. You never wanted to bet against this guy. The round hole was anything but a square peg to Mr. Clutch and now as his final buzzer sounds all we can clutch to is memories. But boy do we have a lot of beautiful ones motored off the Piston assembly line and on the road beyond. Here’s one man to leave this week that we wish could always stay like his play will in memory.
Thank you Chauncey!
