When he reached the NBA, Chauncey Billups was asked to speak at a basketball camp.
The former George Washington High School and University of Colorado star gladly accepted and prepared the best he could — even jotting down the outline of a speech and highlights of some of the points he wished to convey. However, while driving to the site, his notes flew out the window — literally — and onto a highway.
“It was like saying the dog ate my homework,” Billups said while accepting The Denver Athletic Club’s professional athlete of the year award Tuesday night.
As a result, Billups said, to this day he never writes down anything before he is to address a group. Still, the humble Nuggets guard said he has been blessed after returning to Denver from a decade-long whirlwind of NBA stops.
Coming back to his native city, leading the team he watched while growing up to the Western Conference finals and becoming a full-time Coloradan again was part of fulfilling a lifelong dream.
“It’s a beautiful thing,” he said.
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
