Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Saturday, November 01, 2008
My Chauncey
Park Hill’s Finest Never Forgot Where He Came From
Billups loves his hometown, and his hometown returns the favor
By Jesse Ruderman, Nuggets.com Correspondent, 11-13-08
Before Chauncey earned the nickname, “Mr. Big Shot,” in the NBA, he was known on the blacktops of Hill Middle School in Denver as “Smooth.”
On those courts, metal poles held up fiberglass backboards. Orange metal rims dangled chain nets. Chauncey’s swish popped and echoed off the red brick walls.
I used to sit, legs crossed on the hot asphalt and watch Chauncey elevate above every other 13 year-old in Nikes. When Chauncey drove the lane, took his two steps and jumped, he made the yellow four-square ball freeze, the hop-scotch rocks stop and the plastic jump ropes spin in slow motion. Every eye expanded like blowing Hubba-Bubba bubbles until Chauncey slammed the oil and grime stained leather basketball down – POP – and we ignored the recess bell to see more.
From the green and white Patriots jersey at George Washington to the black and gold Buffalo shorts of Boulder and into the NBA, we’ve watched Chauncey’s game grow. From Boston to Toronto to Denver to Minnesota to Detroit and now back to Denver, we’ve watched Chauncey win a championship and NBA Finals MVP and through all eleven years of his NBA career he has always been Denver’s hero.
Chauncey knows his roots. “I’m always going to be a Denver boy.” His return to Denver brings as much joy to him as it does Nuggets fans. “I am extremely happy to be home. It’s a dream for me…I have a lot of pride with Denver, and being able to now have that ‘Denver’ across my chest just makes me feel good.”
Seeing Chauncey in Denver’s baby blue looks right too. And the number 7 that is stitched to his jersey wasn’t selected randomly. "I just started thinking about me coming home and what a wonderful opportunity it could be. I thought about how John Elway ended his career and the legacy that he left on this city; it just created a lot of motivation and inspiration for me.”
Nuggets fans have responded with ruckus ovations to Chauncey’s return to the hardwood. The ovations pour down from the last row of the upper decks when he is introduced, “At point guard from Colorado, No. 7, Chauncey Billups.” Those from Denver who have followed Billups throughout his career applaud with added enthusiasm, for Chauncey is Denver’s own.
Chauncey is feeling the love, “It feels great; it feels great to be home. It’s been a long time since I had this kind of feeling playing in a game.”
Now I sit and watch with the same awe I had in 7th grade. Chauncey’s game has developed exponentially, but many characteristics remain the same: the release and follow through at the free throw line, the one thundering smack of his palms after an errant pass, the eyes and, of course, the smile.
Chauncey Billups isn’t back, he’s home.
Billups loves his hometown, and his hometown returns the favor
By Jesse Ruderman, Nuggets.com Correspondent, 11-13-08
Before Chauncey earned the nickname, “Mr. Big Shot,” in the NBA, he was known on the blacktops of Hill Middle School in Denver as “Smooth.”
On those courts, metal poles held up fiberglass backboards. Orange metal rims dangled chain nets. Chauncey’s swish popped and echoed off the red brick walls.
I used to sit, legs crossed on the hot asphalt and watch Chauncey elevate above every other 13 year-old in Nikes. When Chauncey drove the lane, took his two steps and jumped, he made the yellow four-square ball freeze, the hop-scotch rocks stop and the plastic jump ropes spin in slow motion. Every eye expanded like blowing Hubba-Bubba bubbles until Chauncey slammed the oil and grime stained leather basketball down – POP – and we ignored the recess bell to see more.
From the green and white Patriots jersey at George Washington to the black and gold Buffalo shorts of Boulder and into the NBA, we’ve watched Chauncey’s game grow. From Boston to Toronto to Denver to Minnesota to Detroit and now back to Denver, we’ve watched Chauncey win a championship and NBA Finals MVP and through all eleven years of his NBA career he has always been Denver’s hero.
Chauncey knows his roots. “I’m always going to be a Denver boy.” His return to Denver brings as much joy to him as it does Nuggets fans. “I am extremely happy to be home. It’s a dream for me…I have a lot of pride with Denver, and being able to now have that ‘Denver’ across my chest just makes me feel good.”
Seeing Chauncey in Denver’s baby blue looks right too. And the number 7 that is stitched to his jersey wasn’t selected randomly. "I just started thinking about me coming home and what a wonderful opportunity it could be. I thought about how John Elway ended his career and the legacy that he left on this city; it just created a lot of motivation and inspiration for me.”
Nuggets fans have responded with ruckus ovations to Chauncey’s return to the hardwood. The ovations pour down from the last row of the upper decks when he is introduced, “At point guard from Colorado, No. 7, Chauncey Billups.” Those from Denver who have followed Billups throughout his career applaud with added enthusiasm, for Chauncey is Denver’s own.
Chauncey is feeling the love, “It feels great; it feels great to be home. It’s been a long time since I had this kind of feeling playing in a game.”
Now I sit and watch with the same awe I had in 7th grade. Chauncey’s game has developed exponentially, but many characteristics remain the same: the release and follow through at the free throw line, the one thundering smack of his palms after an errant pass, the eyes and, of course, the smile.
Chauncey Billups isn’t back, he’s home.
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