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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made his first public comments since federal indictments against Portland coach Chauncey Billups and Miami guard Terry Rozier and former player Damon Jones in a broad gambling-related scheme.
“My first reaction was that I was deeply disturbed,” Silver said in an interview during the Amazon Prime Video broadcast of the New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics game Friday. “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.
“I apologize to our fans that we are all dealing with this situation.”
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Commissioner of the NBA, Adam Silver held a press conference at the Chase Center on the 2025 NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco, California, USA on February 15, 2025. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Earlier Friday, Congress got involved.
The House Commerce Committee sent a letter to Silver on Friday requesting information and a briefing to obtain information related to the scandal.
The committee seeks five key points of information from Silver:
“1. Details of the fraudulent, illegal and alleged betting practices involving NBA players, coaches and officials, including actions by NBA players and coaches identified in the latest indictment; as well as prior instances, some of which are identified above,” the letter states.
“2. Actions the NBA intends to take to limit disclosure of non-public information for illegal purposes. 3. Whether the NBA’s Code of Conduct for Players and Coaches effectively prohibits illegal activity, including disclosure of non-public information for the purpose of illegal betting schemes. 4. An explanation of the gaps that may exist in the existing betting schemes and where illegal schemes may occur. How the NBA is reassessing the terms of its partnerships with sports betting companies.”
NBA LEGEND CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, HEAT’S TERRY ROZIER ARRESTED AS PART OF FBI GAMBLING PROBE
The two-part letter was signed by six members of Congress on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Rozier was arrested because federal officials allege he conspired with partners to help them win bets based on his statistical performance. The charges are similar to what former Toronto player Jontay Porter faced before he was banned from the league by Silver in 2024.
Billups is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering for participating in what federal officials called Mafia-backed rigged poker games. He also matches the credentials of someone described only as Co-Conspirator 8 in an indictment detailing how some people gave players inside information about the players’ health status.
The arrests have overshadowed the opening week around the league.
(Left) Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups talks to a referee during a first half timeout against the Sacramento Kings at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 10, 2025. (Right) Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) walks off the court after the game against Detroit Arena, Michigan, at Detroit Caestons, Michigan. Nov 12, 2024. (Jaime Valdez/Imagn Images; Rick Osentoski/Imagn Images)
The Rozier case has been ongoing since March 23, 2023. He was with the Charlotte Hornets at the time, and sportsbooks – legal – warned the NBA about irregular patterns involving Rozier’s “prop bets” that day. Rozier went on to play about 9 1/2 minutes, and those who bet that he would underperform the stated stat lines won those bets. Federal officials said more than $200,000 was wagered on those lines alone.
