Pistons To Retire Buffs Star Billups' Jersey

BOULDER — Former Colorado All-American Chauncey Billups will be honored by the Detroit Pistons at halftime of Wednesday night's Pistons-Nuggets game, when the club will retire jersey No. 1.

Earlier this season, the Pistons honored the No. 3 jersey of Billups' former teammate, Ben Wallace. The two helped lead Detroit to the 2003-04 NBA Championship and back-to-back Eastern Conference titles in 2004 and '05.

Billups was the 2004 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player highlighting a fantastic eight-year run with the Pistons. He was a three-time NBA All-Star with Detroit, All-NBA Second Team in 2006, All-NBA Third Team in 2007 and All-NBA Defensive Second Team in 2005 and '06. Billups averaged 16.5 points. 6.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds during his Pistons career.

In an open letter to Pistons fans, published Wednesday in the Detroit Free Press, Billups wrote, “Detroit is where Chauncey Billups became “Mr. Big Shot.” When all the naysayers doubted our team, the city, and me, you stood by and trusted that I could lead this team to a state of prominence and ultimately WE won a championship. With our high level of dedication and commitment, our team grinded it out every night and worked hard to represent you to the best of our abilities. Our goal every time we stepped onto the hardwood was to simply win and have fun doing it.”

Billups' No. 1 jersey will be hoisted into the rafters at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the halftime ceremony.

Billups was inducted into the Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame on Nov. 5. A first-team All-American and unanimous All-Big 12 performer as a sophomore in 1996-97, he led the Buffaloes to a 22-10 record, a second place finish in the inaugural season of the Big 12, and CU's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 28 years. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 55 games before declaring for the NBA Draft, where he was the highest Buffalo every drafted (third overall) and went on to play 17 seasons in the league.

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