The NBA’s Terrible Thursday brought more than just player injuries or coaching missteps- it introduced a wave of scrutiny for the Portland Trail Blazers, who were celebrating Damian Lillard’s return. The team now faces additional challenges due to Chauncey Billups’ arrest, with even longtime friends like Michael Cooper expressing shock. Cooper, whose coaching career ran parallel to Billups’ playing days, formed a strong bond with him. In the wake of Billups’ arrest, Cooper questioned what this might mean for Billups’ greatest achievements.

Despite the fresh federal crackdown on Thursday morning, DJ Vlad managed to get Lakers legend Michael Cooper on his show the same day to discuss his feelings. Cooper, who claims to be a casual gambler, found the situation “disturbing.”

“I never saw him as that kind of player,” Cooper said. “Chauncey is so lowkey, so cool, so calm, collective. I mean, for you to get caught up in that means that you were kind of looking…” He added, “My official stance is, ‘he’s innocent until proven guilty.'”

Coop was also stunned to learn that his Lakers were among the teams entangled in this controversy. He briefly ranted, expressing frustration that highly paid athletes had no justification for such actions. The conversation naturally turned to Pete Rose, drawing parallels between the NBA’s gambling investigation and the most infamous scandal in MLB history. As even new fans would recognize, Rose was denied a Hall of Fame induction despite a career worthy of the honor, due to his illegal activities.

It was Cooper who posed the question to Vlad: “Say hypothetically, if Chauncey is found guilty, should he be removed from the Hall of Fame?” Between the two, Vlad had the authority to comment on the matter, as he had interviewed Rose before his passing in 2024—the same year Billups was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The journalist understood how deeply the loss of that honor had affected Rose, filling him with bitterness.

Vlad firmly believes Billups shouldn’t be removed from the Hall of Fame because the illegal gambling from a 2023 incident had nothing to do with his deservedly HoF career from 1997 to 2014.

Cooper didn’t exactly answer his own question but his response to Vlad’s opinion was the coldest, “So?” and a shrug. That’s his friend but even he had to admit that Billups’ HoF status is hanging by a thin thread.

Chauncey Billups’ HoF status jeopardized

The 2004 championship title with the Pistons, winning Finals MVP, five All-Star appearances, and back-to-back All Defensive nods made Chauncey Billups a Hall of Famer. Nothing of his coaching career factors into this. He was enshrined in 2024, in the same class that included Michael Cooper with Vince Carter, Bo Ryan, and Pacers owner Herb Simon.

At that time, who would’ve thought he was the subject of an FBI investigation for activities a year prior? The Blazers HC was supposedly the frontman of an underground poker ring that lured players to illegal home games and fleeced them. The allegations presented by the Department of Justice also paint the picture of a sophisticated tech-heavy cheating system designed to take the players’ money.

Cooper had read the reports on it and was flustered with the kind of technology – X-ray-equipped poker tables, rigged card shufflers, marked cards and the use of sensor-equipped contact lenses and glasses  – in use.

Billups exited a federal court on Thursday and was subsequently placed on paid leave by the NBA. If found guilty of money laundering and wire fraud, he could face a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. The indictment also claims that Billups shared non-public information about players. However, it is important to note that this is merely an indictment, and nothing has been proven yet. Nonetheless, the charges cast a shadow over Billups’ legacy.

Vlad and Cooper know that at least the National Baseball Hall of Fame is unforgiving to MLB players who’ve had such scandals. The Naismith Hall of Fame – as does the NFL – doesn’t usually remove players once enshrine irrespective of the reasons.

It does have bylaws that state they can remove candidates who have “damaged the integrity of the game of basketball.” However, that applies before a player is voted into the HoF.

Unless the committee decides to make an exception, that rule and potentially getting cleared by the feds are the only things going for Billups. He maintains his innocence in all this but it’s probably going to be a lonely battle.