It might not be today. It might not be tomorrow. But considering everything Chauncey Billups has been through in his pro career, he plans to take time soon to reflect on his journey to becoming an NBA all-star.
Billups was named a reserve guard to the Eastern Conference team Thursday for the All-Star Game in Houston on Feb. 19. The former University of Colorado and George Washington High School star will make his first all-star appearance and will be the first Coloradan to make it since Tom Chambers in 1991 with Phoenix.
For the third pick in the 1996 draft, the road to becoming an all-star included being traded as a rookie and playing for six teams.
“I’m not an emotional dude,” Billups said Thursday. “I’m not really one to soak something in. But in these next couple days I have to take some time to soak it in. I’ve worked on it for a long time. I climbed the mountain. Some people take a helicopter ride. I climbed to it.
“It’s extra special for me, the way I did it. When I came in, I was the third pick, on top, and then fell all the way down. And to make it to the top is unheard of. I’m proud to have made it like that.”
Billups is averaging 18.8 points, ranks fourth in the NBA with 8.4 assists per game, is third in free-throw percentage (91.5) and fifth in 3-pointers made (105). He is an MVP candidate for leading the Pistons to an NBA-best 40-8 record.
“The thing I’m most happy about is I made it and I didn’t chase it,” Billups said. “I just played my game. I didn’t shoot extra shots to get scoring up. I did it by doing the right thing. That’s what I’m proud of.”
Said Pistons president Joe Dumars via e-mail: “I’m extremely happy for Chauncey because I think he represents everything that’s right about the NBA. He’s a class act and he deserves this honor.”
Joining Billups in the All-Star Game will be three other Pistons and his coach. Guard Richard Hamilton, forward Rasheed Wallace and center Ben Wallace were also named East reserves. First-year Pistons coach Flip Saunders will coach the team. The last time a team had four all-stars was the Los Angeles Lakers in 1998.
Other reserves on the East team are Toronto’s Chris Bosh, Boston’s Paul Pierce and Vince Carter of the New Jersey Nets.
The Western Conference reserves are guards Ray Allen of Seattle and Tony Parker of San Antonio, and forwards Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas, the Clippers’ Elton Brand, Memphis’ Pau Gasol, Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett and the Suns’ Shawn Marion.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
