After earning McDonald’s All-America honors at Denver’s George Washington High School, point guard Chauncey Billups led Colorado to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 28 years (1997) and has become an NBA all-star with the Detroit Pistons.
“(Colorado) is struggling right now, but I am excited about where the program is going under Coach (Jeff) Bzdelik. You just have to keep hammering away and get lucky by getting some good kids in there. It’s the Big 12. You can’t just get some average kids. You have to get some big talent in there. (Bzdelik) is going to get that talent, I’m sure. He has a great eye for it. The future is going to be fun. . . .
“Everybody knows what I feel about Coach (Ricardo) Patton, but the school needed a change, a fresh start. It needed some new blood in there. Coach P had been there a long, long time. He needed a fresh start somewhere, as well. I’m happy where everything is at. . . .
“I’m pretty familiar with Coach Bzdelik, and I believe in him and what he’s about. He’s about the right things. He’s going to work hard at all times. When you have that, and when you start to get some top players, you’ll start having some success. I believe we’re headed in the right direction. . . .
“We had some good crowds when I played there. It can get back to that. Wins will do it.”
Tom Kensler, The Denver Post
