WATCH: Portland Trailblazers PR Rep Cuts Off Reporter Asking New Coach About 1997 Sexual Assault Allegations

Brandon ContesJun 29th, 2021, 5:07 pm
 

The Portland Trail Blazers introduced their new head coach Chauncey Billups at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. With controversy surrounding the hire, Trail Blazers PR was quick to shoot down any questions about previous sexual assault allegations against the new coach.

Jason Quick of The Athletic, asked Billups about the incident, and the new Blazers coach looked ready to respond, until a PR rep jumped in. Video of the press conference interaction was shared by Dylan Mickanen of NBC Sports Northwest.

“You said the 1997 incident shaped you in unbelievable ways, can you maybe elaborate on that and how it helped shape you?” Quick asked.

Before Billups could begin speaking, a Trail Blazers PR rep quickly interjected, stating “we’ve addressed this, it’s been asked and answered, so happy to move on to the next question.”

During his rookie season with the Boston Celtics in 1997, a woman accused Billups of rape. He denied the allegations, was never charged criminally, and later settled a civil suit.

Billups was a finalist for the Trail Blazers head coaching position with San Antonio Spurs assistant and former WNBA star Becky Hammon. Hammon, had she been hired, would have become a literal trailblazer as the first female head coach in NBA history.

Despite past accusations against Billups, Portland chose the former NBA Finals MVP as their head coach. Rather than allowing Billups to address the incident from nearly a quarter-century ago, the Trail Blazers are seemingly decided on protecting him from those questions.

Team general manager, Neil Olshey who was sitting next to Billups at the press conference, pleaded with reporters to believe him that the team viewed thoroughly investigated the ’97 rape allegations. But professional American sports teams don’t have a great track record of prioritizing ethics in their personnel decisions.

“With all sincerity, and you have my word … We took the allegations very seriously, and we took them with the gravity that they deserved,” the general manager said.

“We commissioned our own independent investigation into the incident in 1997,” Olshey added. “Our investigation corroborated what Chauncey told us, that nothing non-consensual occurred. We stand by Chauncey.”

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