Chauncey Billups, best known as “Mr. Big Shot,” told Yahoo Sports’ Marc J. Spears he is retiring after 17 seasons in the NBA.
The 37-year-old had his team option declined by the Detroit Pistons, according to the report. He had some opportunities with other teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, but opted to hang up his sneakers.
“It’s just time. I know when it’s time,” Billups told Spears. “My mind and my desire is still strong. I just can’t ignore the fact that I haven’t been healthy for three years. I can try again and get to a point where I think I can go, but I just can’t sustain. Me not being able to play the way that I can play, that’s when you kind of know it’s that time.
“It’s just time. I’m happy, excited. The game was very, very good to me. I felt like I was equally as good to the game the way I played it and the way I respected it and the way I carried myself through the process.”
The third overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, Billups actually bounced around the league for several seasons, before finding a home with the Detroit Pistons in 2002. He led the Pistons to the NBA Finals in 2004, where they won a championship, and he was crowned NBA Finals MVP.
He is a five-time NBA ALl-Star, and was honored with the J. Walter Kenedy Citizenship Award in 2008, the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2009, and the NBA Teammate of the Year Award in 2013.
The 37-year-old had his team option declined by the Detroit Pistons, according to the report. He had some opportunities with other teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, but opted to hang up his sneakers.
“It’s just time. I know when it’s time,” Billups told Spears. “My mind and my desire is still strong. I just can’t ignore the fact that I haven’t been healthy for three years. I can try again and get to a point where I think I can go, but I just can’t sustain. Me not being able to play the way that I can play, that’s when you kind of know it’s that time.
“It’s just time. I’m happy, excited. The game was very, very good to me. I felt like I was equally as good to the game the way I played it and the way I respected it and the way I carried myself through the process.”
The third overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, Billups actually bounced around the league for several seasons, before finding a home with the Detroit Pistons in 2002. He led the Pistons to the NBA Finals in 2004, where they won a championship, and he was crowned NBA Finals MVP.
He is a five-time NBA ALl-Star, and was honored with the J. Walter Kenedy Citizenship Award in 2008, the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2009, and the NBA Teammate of the Year Award in 2013.
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