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nba commissioner adam silverIn his first public comments after his arrest portland Coach Chauncey Billups and miami Guard Terry Rozier on gambling allegations Friday night said he was shocked by the indictments that have rocked the league.
“My initial reaction was I was very upset,” Silver said during the streaming service’s first broadcast on Amazon Prime Video. boston But new york“There is nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition. I had a pit in my stomach. It was very upsetting.”
Many around the league shared that sentiment Friday, a day after the indictments were revealed and nearly three dozen people — notably, Billups and Rozier — were arrested by federal authorities.
Rozier was arrested because federal authorities allege he conspired with associates to help him win bets based on his statistical performance. The charges are similar to what former Toronto player Jontay Porter faced before being banned from the league by the Silver in 2024.
Billups is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering for participating in what federal authorities say was a Mafia-backed rigged poker game. He also matched the credentials of someone described as Co-Conspirator 8 in the indictment, which described how some people gave inside information about the player’s health condition to bookmakers.
The league’s opening week has been overshadowed by the arrests.
“I apologize to our fans for the situation we are all dealing with,” Silver said during an in-game interview.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba