More than 20 years ago, the Detroit Pistons shocked the world when they upset the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals to capture the franchise’s third NBA championship.
The Pistons were heavy underdogs against the Lakers, but Detroit’s stars and role players had a near-perfect series that ended in just five games.
Chauncey Billups served as the leader and catalyst for that title team, consistently coming up clutch throughout the postseason and making good on his nickname “Mr. Big Shot.”
Billups is now head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and doing his best to navigate that organization’s rebuild.
While the Trail Blazers are likely years away from competing, Billups has something to celebrate as he was named a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2024 class.
Ahead of his enshrinement, Billups acknowledged the impact former Pistons head coach Larry Brown made on him.
“Nobody demanded more … nobody made me better … he’s been the biggest blessing for me,” Billups said, via the NBA on X.
“Nobody demanded more… nobody made me better… he’s been the biggest blessing for me.”
Chauncey Billups talks about the impact Larry Brown made on his career ahead of his own #24HoopClass enshrinement 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/o3rf0bRGkp
— NBA (@NBA) October 12, 2024
Brown was the leader of that Detroit championship team and did an amazing job getting Billups and the rest of his roster ready for the postseason.
A no-nonsense type, Brown was a great defensive mind who always found ways to fluster opponents.
Billups had his best years as a player under Brown, and it’s great to hear the Finals MVP acknowledge what his head coach meant to his career.
Billups will go down as one of the best point guards in history, and Brown definitely had a huge hand in that success.
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