Ten months after it was first reported that he was under federal investigation, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier has been arrested as part of a sports betting probe. And he wasn’t alone, with ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting that Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has also been arrested for “alleged illegal gambling.”
Charania broke the news of Rozier and Billups’ arrests on Thursday morning. The Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel are scheduled to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. ET to announce arrests stemming from the investigation, with Pablo Torre reporting that there are “a lot more to come.”
While it’s currently unclear what Rozier is being charged with, it was previously reported that the investigation into his behavior centered on unusual betting activity that took place in 2023 when he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets. In June, Charania made headlines when he stated on The Pat McAfee Show that “Terry Rozier, as of right now, has been cleared,” before it was later clarified by other reporters that the Louisville product was still under federal investigation.
In addition to the confusion regarding Charania’s comments, the Hornets recently came under fire after announcing a sponsored sports betting theme night for their March 17 game against the Heat, which also happened to fall on Rozier’s 32nd birthday. The promotion has since been pulled.
The circumstances surrounding Billups’ arrest are currently unclear, although NBC’s Tom Winter reports the charges aren’t connected to games he coached in.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.