Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was not on the sideline during the team’s 105-85 preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon. Instead, Billups was in Springfield, Massachusetts, when the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him into its prestigious club of basketball greats.

The Hall of Fame inducted Billups and 12 others as part of its 2024 class. Before he started coaching, Billups had a successful playing career from 1997 to 2014. Billups won five NBA All-Star appearances and a Finals MVP trophy with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.

At the ceremony, Billups gave a 15-minute speech about his long, winding road to this success. He talked about how his NBA career got off to a rocky start, even as the No. 3 pick in the 1997 NBA draft. In his first five seasons, Billups played for five franchises before finding great stability with the Pistons in 2002. Billups’ time and his teammates in Detroit received special recognition in his acceptance speech.

I could talk forever about what Detroit means to me, but I’ll just say this: I became an NBA champion in Detroit; In Detroit I became “Mr. Big Shot”; I ended up being an All-Star in Detroit; In Detroit I became known as a winner, and that was everything I ever wanted. and it was in Detroit where the No. 1 jersey hangs in the rafters.

Billups thanked many people in his speech – family, friends, mentors, teammates and coaches. That list also included Blazers owner Jody Allen. Billups thanked Allen for giving him the opportunity to coach the Blazers. He admitted his coaching career didn’t get off to the best start, but he is determined to succeed.

I would like to thank Jody Allen for taking my chance and giving me the opportunity to lead the Portland Trail Blazers organization. My coaching career started a bit like my playing career. It was a bit tough but I feel the same way as a coach and as a player. I will win, maybe not right away, but definitely.

Billups will be back on the sidelines for Portland’s next preseason game against German club Ulm on Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PDT at the Moda Center.