FBI arrests NBA coach and player in gambling probe : NPR
The FBI arrested Miami Heat player Terry Rozier after a lengthy gambling investigation.
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Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested Thursday as part of an FBI investigation into illegal gambling activities involving sports betting and poker, according to federal authorities.
About 30 people are currently in custody in connection with the schemes, with more expected to turn themselves in later, Justice Department spokesman John Marzulli said Thursday. Billups and Rozier are expected to appear in federal court today, Billups in Portland and Rozier in Orlando. They will be arraigned on indictments in New York at a later date, the spokesperson said.
In 2023, when Rozier was playing for the Charlotte Hornets, the NBA was alerted to “unusual betting activity” related to his performance in a March game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA said. in a statement earlier this year.
Rozier recorded five points, four rebounds and two assists in the first quarter of that game before exiting with what the team described as “foot discomfort.” All of these totals were well below his season averages, and all were below the betting lines set by the sportsbook for betting propositions. Rozier did not play again for the remainder of that season.
At the time, the NBA conducted an investigation and found no wrongdoing, the league later said.
In the meantime, a separate federal investigation had taken place. This investigation weighed on Rozier during the 2025 offseason.
The NBA, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat and Terry Rozier’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was not immediately clear whether Billups or Jones had legal representation.
Another NBA player, Jontay Porter, was banned for life by the league in 2024 after an investigation found he worked with players to manipulate his performances for the Toronto Raptors in two games that year. He later pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
