Billups article

["Jan Crocker" <jan@netgworld.com>]

Things are slow so here is a little article I pulled off the Denver Post
Site on Chaucey Billups. Seems like a nice guy, hope he can play.

JC



These kids are just wild about Billups 

                  By Tom Kensler
                  Denver Post Sports Writer 

                  Aug. 6 - WESTMINSTER - Those wide eyes of 7-year-old 

Kirstin Mayoral grew almost as big as green basketballs when she spotted 
Chauncey Billups walking into the gym. "It was pretty neat to see him dunk,'' 
she said with a giggle. 

Green basketballs? 

Hey, Billups is now a Boston Celtic and it's his camp. 
Six weeks after he was taken third overall in the NBA draft, Billups said
his head is still spinning. But reality can sink in rather quickly when the 
questions come from a tough crowd. 

"What's your favorite team? I like the Lakers,'' a youngster said after 
raising his hand. 
Billups smiled. "You know what, when I grew up I hated the Celtics,'' he 
said."I was a big Lakers fan, too. But you need to get rid of those Laker 
shorts you're wearing and get some green shorts and become a Celtics fan 
now.'' Billups delighted more about 150 kids, grades 1-12, as the inaugural
                  
Chauncey Billups Basketball Camp began Tuesday morning with sessions at
Eaglecrest High School in Aurora and Mandalay Middle School in Westminster. 
Billups spent about 1" hours at each session and worked up a serious sweat
while demonstrating some drills that basketball players of any level can and
should practice on their own. Two dribbles left and shoot. Two dribbles right
and shoot. A cross-over dribble and pull-up jumper. Then, of course, Billups
had to treat his mesmerized audience to a couple of dunks. 

"To see awesome skills like that, you can't imitate those skills but it's fun 
to try,'' said Joe Mousseau, 15, of Boulder. 

"I thought I'd better pay attention since he's a pro,'' added Adam Thoutt, 
12, of Westminster. 

Billups, a prep legend at Denver's George Washington High School, elected
to forgo his final two years of eligibility at the University of Colorado
and fulfill his dream of playing in the NBA. Billups said he expects to sign
a contract by the time a Celtics minicamp begins Aug. 18. Under the league's 
bargaining agreement, as the No. 3 pick Billups is guaranteed a three-year 
deal worth at least $6.86 million. Teams can go up from there by as much as 
20 percent. 

Billups is sharing a Boston apartment with a cousin, Jermaine Carter,
"because we grew up together and he'll be able to help me and be there for
me and be my right-hand man.'' But, Billups said, Denver will continue to be
his home. He intends to build a house in Denver and become one of the city's
biggest fans of CU and the Broncos. And he plans to return each summer and
put on a basketball camp. 

"I'd really like to have some influence on these kids,'' Billups said. "I 
hope they look up to me. I grew up in northeast Denver, in probably the worst 
end of town, and if I can make it, anybody can make it. I just want to let 
the kids know that. 

                  
"I've seen it all. From gangs to killings, I've seen it. As long as these
kids focus on something it will help. Maybe it's not basketball, but I want
to give kids something to keep them busy and off the streets.'' 
Billups recalled when, as a sixth-grader, he attended a basketball camp
conducted by the Nuggets at the University of Denver. "They had some
coaches there and you listened, but everybody really got excited when Sean
Elliott came in,'' he said. 

"It's different when it's somebody everybody talks about, somebody you've
seen play on TV. You want to hear what he has to say. Then when you see
them play you feel like you're part of them. 

                  
"That's the good thing about doing something like this - a lot of kids look
up to you. You become a role model for kids growing up.'' 
Among the coaches at Tuesday's session here were two of Billups' former
George Washington High School teammates, Derek Washington (Wyoming)
and Billy Hessel (Adams State), and two incoming CU recruits: guards
Dwight Jones from Dodge City (Kan.) Community College and Kenny Price
from Westark Community College in Fort Smith, Ark. 

"When these kids see Chauncey, their eyes light up,'' Price said. "They love
him. All these kids can look up to him because he's from around here.'' 

Billups already has participated in one Celtics rookie camp. He said Boston
coach Rick Pitino reminds him of CU coach Ricardo Patton in that they are
both guard-oriented, they are demanding in practice, they love to pressure
on defense and they allow the freedom to freelance on offense. 

"To think that I went in the top three of the draft is still amazing to me,'' 
Billups said. "I think that says a lot about the decision I made to go to CU. 
A lot of people said four years wouldn't even be long enough for me to go in 
the first round. It says a lot about going to a place where you're a
priority, a place where they care about you, a place you take a lot of pride
in. People see what that did for me and hopefully that will spin off.'' 

Most of these campers are a long way from worrying about college. Just
seeing a local hero in person is enough."What I really like about him coming
out here is that it shows he cares, even though he's a pro,'' said Tiffany
Campbell, 13, of Broomfield.