NBA Coach, Players Arrested in Major Gambling Scandal Involving Mafia Links

The NBA is currently embroiled in a major gambling scandal following the arrests of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones, among others, as part of a federal investigation linking illegal poker operations and insider sports betting to organized crime. Billups faces charges related to a mafia-backed rigged poker scheme, while Rozier is accused of sharing non-public NBA information to facilitate betting, with Jones implicated in both cases. The scandal has prompted strong reactions from prominent NBA figures, including Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, who condemned the involved parties as "stupid" and expressed shame over their actions, emphasizing that the NBA educates its players about gambling rules and that fixing games is unacceptable. Barkley rejected suggestions that gambling addiction was a factor, arguing that financial motives for high earners like Rozier were illogical. The FBI highlighted the extensive nature of the investigation, which spanned multiple states and targeted mafia-related fraud schemes. The scandal has deeply unsettled the league, raising concerns over integrity and the influence of organized crime in professional basketball.