Lets start with the resume, shall we.
An NBA championship and Finals MVP honors in 2004, a 5-time All-Star, All-NBA second team (2006), 2-time All-NBA third team (2007, 2009), 2-time NBA All-Defensive second team (2005, 2006), to go along with awards both in the community and around the league in citizenship and being recognized by teammates.
Through it all, Chauncey Billups has been a consummate professional since coming into the league in 1997 and since playing for Boston, Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, Denver, New York and the Los Angeles. And now after signing with Detroit two weeks ago in a reunion, the soon-to-be 37-year old point guard feels he can provide leadership both on and off the court.
Billups also has something to prove.
Really?
With his polished credentials, respect from teammates and opponents around the league, one of the “good guys” around the game still feels he has something to prove?
Well, sort of. After spending the last two seasons playing off of the ball, Billups wants to show that he still can run the point with the best of them.
"I didn't want to be a two-guard anyway. I did it there because it's a way for me to get on the floor. You are playing behind the best point guard in the league in Chris (Paul),” Billups said in an interview on Yahoo!Sports.com.
"I never saw myself as a shooting guard. I never wanted to play it."
“I always wanted to be remembered as a Piston. This will hopefully give me the opportunity to end my career there."
While Billups said his remaining days in the league will depend on the status of his health, the old-new Piston point guard clearly isn’t ready for retirement at this juncture. However, it will be interesting to see what role Billups exactly has playing under new head coach Maurice Cheeks. Not only do the Pistons have Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum at the point, but Joe Dumars swapped Brandon Knight for Brandon Jennings on Tuesday night, leaving Detroit firing on all cylinders with a four point guard rotation.
When healthy, Billups can compete with the best of them but likely won’t lock down the starting point guard gig coming out of camp. All signs point to Brandon Jennings getting the not there.
Just know Chauncey Billups will be there ready to run the show, help mentor the youngsters and hopefully, continue to add to his legacy in the league.
