After his surprise arrest as part of the FBI's gambling probe that has rocked the NBA, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has made a key legal move in his attempt to fight his case, hiring a lawyer who previously represented President Donald Trump.
The New York Times reports Billups has hired trial lawyer Marc Mukasey to represent him in the federal investigation. Previously, Mukasey represented President Trump, Edward Gallagher, and Rudy Giuliani.
So, he is no stranger to such high-profile cases. His defense of Gallagher, a former Navy SEAL, led to an acquittal of murder charges. Additionally, he represented Sam Bankman-Fried during his sentencing after his conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges. Bankman-Fried was the founder of a bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange.
Chauncey Billups' arrest was part of a federal gambling probe
The feds' ongoing gambling probe has led to several arrests. Billups' arrest was announced on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. That came on the same day as Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier's arrest. Former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested.
After his arrest, it was revealed that Billups was charged with being tied up in an illegal poker operation that was tied to the Mafia. Billups was allegedly used as a “Face Card” to attract unwitting gamblers to poker games, where they were then scammed with the help of high-tech equipment.
Meanwhile, Rozier's arrest was for a “separate but related betting case.”
Billups is currently a coach, but he was a standout NBA player. He was drafted with the third overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, and he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame after his playing career.
Throughout his career, Billups played for seven NBA teams. He was named to five All-Star teams, and he was also named to three All-NBA teams.
In 2004, Billups helped lead the Detroit Pistons to the NBA Finals. They won the NBA championship, and Billups was named NBA Finals MVP.
Following his retirement in 2014, Billups began his coaching career in 2020. He started as an assistant coach under Tyronn Lue on the Los Angeles Clippers.
After the 2020-21 season, Billups was hired as the Blazers' head coach. They have not finished better than fourth place in the Northwest Division during his four years as their coach. The 2024-25 season was his best, as the Blazers went 36-46, and he was rewarded with a contract extension.
Billups has since been placed on leave after his arrest and isn't really involved with the team, with Tiago Splitter taking over as the interim head in Portland.
