Mile High Sports Magazine February 2010 : Page 43
Cups, the Broncos’ Super Bowl seasons and Rocktober all fall into that category. But there was something a little different about the Nuggets Fever that struck Denver last April and May. The civic pride that captured the city arguably ran a little deeper; after all, it was Denver’s own Chauncey Billupswho was leading the charge. L In the second round series against Dallas, a highly publicized beef broke out betweenMark Cuban and Kenyon Martin, with Cuban reportedly talking trash to Martin’s momafter the Nuggets’ crushingwin in Game 3. There were further reports of Mavs’ fans harassing the Nuggets’ family members in the stands in Dallas. Before the series returned to Denver for game five, my co-host, Joel Klatt, and I implored the Denver fans to behavewith class toward Cuban and the Mavs, and to ultimately be “better” than fans in Dallas. At that time, we coined the slogan “WWCD” – or, “What Would Chauncey Do?” ast spring in Denverwas one of those “magical” times in sports. It was a blink of an eye that we enjoyed immensely as it occurred, and one we’ll remember even more fondly over time. The Avs’ When experts,media and fans talk about Chauncey Billups, there is a lot of discussion about his game. But always mentioned in the same breath is the character and leadership that Billups has brought to the Nuggets (and we all know the Nuggets desperately needed it). He is as respected by his teammates and coaches as any player in the league. As reporters, we all know that if George Karl gets rolling on how much he admires Billups, you’re in for a lengthy conversation. Good luck getting the head coach to pipe down about his favorite point guard – and justifiably so. As a kid who grew up in Chicago, my favorite athletes were always the greats – Michael Jordan, Walter Payton and Ryne Sandberg. But as I’ve grown up, I’ve come to admire guys who play the game the right way; I admire the players who hold the kind of esteem amongst their peers that their fans hold for them. As a part of MHSM’s annual celebration of high school sports, it was an honor to do this interview with Denver’s favorite son and my favorite athlete, Chauncey Billups. Nate Kreckman: Every young kid has a high school “idol” when they’re growing up – an older kid who plays high school sports whomthey look up to. Who was yours? Chauncey Billups: Mine were Chucky Sproling (Manual) and Jamal Coleman (Mullen). Those were the guys I always wanted to be like. We were all from the same neighborhood, and they were like the biggest stars in the city. And they won. They had great seasons. I just idolized them. NK: Describe your very best moment as a high school athlete? CB: My best moment was probably during my sophomore year when we won the state championship, capping an undefeated season. NK: Conversely, what was your toughest day? CB: My toughest moment was my senior year when we played against Montbello, one of our rivals. I dislocated my shoulder and was out for the rest of the season. We were going for a three-peat and to win three championships, but it kind of hurt our chances a little bit. NK: Many people taught youmany things about the game of basketball. Your father taught you toughness and howto play the point guard position. Your grandmother taught you how to play the “right way,” and how to respect your opponents and the game. But what did playing in the DPS teach you? About the game? About yourself? About the world in general? CB: Just being in the DPS, there was just so much competition. There were about four or five really good teams, for a couple years in a row. Every night, you had to play. Every single night, you knew there was going to be somebody going at you and trying to dethrone us. I just learned that you can’t take nights off. That’s something I’ve taken with me throughout my entire career. NK: Before college or NBA basketball, outside of your family,whowere themost influential people in your life? CB: Some ofmy grade school and middle CHUCKY SPROLING FROM THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, (MULLEN). THOSE WERE THE GUYS I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE LIKE. WE WERE ALL BIGGEST STARS IN THE CITY. AND THEY WERE LIKE THE school coaches – Rick Callahan, Horace Kearney, Harry Hollines. These were guys from the rec center where I grew up – Skyland Recreation Center. These guys taught me about the game when I was away from home. They kind of raised me up in the community and they were very influential in my life. NK: Throughout your playing days, you’ve been adamant about making sure others know you’re “from Colorado.” Why has that been so important to you? CB: It’s important to me because I’m proud of where I’m from. You know, there were a lot of hardships for me coming up (MANUAL) AND JAMAL COLEMAN and trying to gain some respect, being from Colorado. Itwas tough. A lot of times people didn’t take me seriously because I was fromhere, nomatterwhat I did on the court or off the court. I just remember all of that. When I finally made it, I vowed to put themessage out there that you can do it, no matter where you’re from. NK: Would you say that’s been a focus of your career, dispelling the myth that basketball players can’t come out of the state of Colorado? CB: It is. It’s definitely one of my focuses. That’s why I work with some of the young players in the city. I try to get those guys confident and to be really good players, maybe one day go to college, one day maybe even better. You never even know. NK: Long before it was the “Hiawatha Davis Center,” a youth recreation facility you helped to develop and refurbish in the Park Hill area, itwas the “Skyland Rec,” aplacewhere thebest of thebest fromthe DPL would go to cut their teeth as young basketball players. What are your fondest memories from your playing days there? CB: Man, there are so many. So many. That’s where I learned how to play the game. That’swhere I first startedplayingthe game.AndlikeI said, somanyofmy coaches influenced me there. That’s where I got the nickname “Smooth.” I played football there. Everything. That was my home away from home. In the summertime, my mom and dad would go to work from 8:00 to 5:00, drop me off at the Center at 8:00 a.m. when itopenedup.Whenitwas over, they’d come pick me up. I didn’t need a daycare. That’s who raised me. NK: What do you remember most about the recruiting process? What was fun? milehighsports. com FEBRUARY 2010 43
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