蜜糖直播

Chauncey Billups, hoops hero and family man, comes home to 蜜糖直播.

Chauncey Billups聽(Soc ex鈥�99) is still a 蜜糖直播 guy, which should surprise no one.

From his days as a star at Denver鈥檚 George Washington High School to his brief, thrilling run at the University of 蜜糖直播 Boulder, throughout an itinerant but glorious NBA career, Billups has been the pride of the state and has returned its affection. Now, newly retired from the NBA, he鈥檚 settling into the life of a Denver family man and shaping the next phase of a remarkable life.

鈥淚t鈥檚 where we want to be,鈥� says the basketball star known variously as 鈥淪mooth,鈥� 鈥淜ing of Park Hill鈥� and 鈥淢r. Big Shot.鈥�

Two main forces have determined Billups鈥� trajectory into mid-life 鈥� family and hoops.

In that order.

A legendary player in high school 鈥� four-time All-State, three-time 蜜糖直播 Mr. Basketball 鈥� Billups turned down some of the nation鈥檚 most celebrated college programs for 蜜糖直播-Boulder, where the basketball team of the mid-1990s could offer no instant glory.

But playing in Boulder came with a huge advantage: It was easy for his parents to get to games.

What Ray and Faye Billups witnessed 鈥� along with millions of fellow Coloradans 鈥� was the transformation of 蜜糖直播 basketball: Within two years, Chauncey Billups had turned the last-place Buffs into a Big 12 power.

鈥淲e were aware of Chauncey and his potential to be special by the time he finished his freshman year in high school,鈥� says former 蜜糖直播-Boulder athletic director Dick Tharp. 鈥淗is talent was evident and his personal demeanor impeccable. His decision to stay in 蜜糖直播 provided the university with credibility in the Denver and national basketball circles.

鈥淚n essence, he was special from day one, and he never let anyone down.鈥�

In 1997, Billups鈥� second season, 蜜糖直播 finished second in its conference and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1969, beating Bob Knight鈥檚 Indiana Hoosiers in the first round. Billups ended the season fourth in the Big 12 in scoring (19.1 points per game), third in assists (4.79 per game) and led the league in free throw percentage (.854).

After that electric season, he was named first-team All-Big 12. 蜜糖直播 fans begged him to stay. But Billups had options 鈥� the NBA was calling 鈥� and responsibilities in mind. He was about to become a father, and his mother had lost a job she鈥檇 had for 25 years.

鈥淚 knew I had to begin preparing for the future, to be ready to take care of a family,鈥� says Billups, who entered the 1997 NBA draft. 鈥淚 also knew it was going to be an opportunity to help my mom and dad. They鈥檇 done everything for me.鈥�

What they witnessed was transformation: within two years, Chauncey Billups turned the last-place Buffs into a Big 12 power.

He made a splash. Picked third overall, he went to the Boston Celtics and began a professional career that would lead him far from his 蜜糖直播 proving grounds and in the process make him a national celebrity.

The early NBA years were rocky. Traded often, he played for Boston, Toronto, Denver and Minnesota before hitting his groove with the Detroit Pistons under head coach Larry Brown.

In his first season in Detroit, 2002, Billups led the Pistons to the Eastern Conference finals. A year later, he led the team to the 2004 NBA title and was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals.

That鈥檚 also when he cemented his reputation as 鈥淢r. Big Shot,鈥� a moniker reflecting his uncanny ability to sink big baskets when they were most needed. A five-time NBA All-Star, Billups ranks sixth on the all-time list for 3-pointers (1,830).

In 2008 he returned to the Nuggets for three seasons, playing so well that coach George Karl called him 鈥渁 gift from the basketball gods.鈥� He鈥檚 always been a nice guy, to boot: In 2009, he won the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Billups moved around a lot in his final seasons and injuries often kept him off the court: In the final five seasons, he played for four teams, including, again, the Pistons. This year the team chose not to exercise its option on the second year of his contract.

At first, Billups, now 38, thought he might like to keep playing. He worked out with the Cleveland Cavaliers and says he considered 鈥渟everal other possibilities.鈥� But none appealed to him as much as hunkering down in Denver with wife Piper and their children.

鈥淭he ironic thing is that I鈥檓 healthier now than I鈥檝e been at any time in the last three years,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think I could have played another two or three years, but I was tired of dealing with the injuries. Rehabbing sucks. Getting hurt sucks. And sitting on the end of the bench in a suit watching the guys play鈥�that鈥檚 the worst.鈥�

Watching his daughters play is a different story. Cydney, the eldest, is a junior in high school and a standout soccer player at Valor Christian. Ciara is a freshman and Cenaiya is a third-grader.鈥淚 spent a lot of years doing my best to provide for my family, making sure they had what they needed,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut that was a lot of time on the road, a lot of time away from home, a lot of time not getting to see my girls grow up.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get that time back. I鈥檝e got some catching up to do.鈥�

The girls know their father is a celebrity. Now they鈥檒l learn what it鈥檚 like to have him home.

So far, Billups likes retirement.

鈥淚t feels good,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no stress, no pressure. I love the idea of more time with my family. I know I鈥檒l miss the games, but it was just time.鈥澛�

He鈥檚 learning the ropes in business 鈥� he co-owns 30 Wendy鈥檚 restaurants near St. Louis 鈥� and he鈥檚 active in the Porter-Billups Leadership Program, which provides leadership training to at-risk Denver students.

"In essence, he was special from day one, and he never let anyone down."

And he hasn鈥檛 put basketball entirely behind him. Hardly. Billups keeps a close eye on his old Buffs team: He鈥檚 a regular donor to the program and has sponsored 鈥淐hauncey鈥檚 Kids Roundup,鈥� which supports visits by school children to the 蜜糖直播 campus and basketball games. His brother, Rodney, is an assistant coach for the men鈥檚 team. And Billups himself appears in a vast mural in the Coors Events Center.

鈥淐hauncey is nothing short of an icon, a true superstar,鈥� said 蜜糖直播 sports information director Dave Plati. 鈥淗e鈥檚 attended many home games, has donated graciously to the university and has been there for anything we could have asked. You could not ask for a better Buffalo.鈥�

Billups still has a toe-hold in professional hoops, too 鈥� in the fall ESPN hired him as a studio analyst 鈥� and he鈥檚 expressed interest in a front-office role with a NBA team.

鈥淚鈥檓 confident I could be very good at that,鈥� he says.

But first comes family.

Then basketball.

Always in that order.

Photography by Lucas Gilman (in parking lot); 蜜糖直播 Athletics (as 蜜糖直播 Buff);聽NBA Photos Library (as Denver Nugget)