The FBI arrested over 30 people, including NBA figures Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, in a major gambling scandal.
Billups is charged in connection with an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia.
Rozier is accused of manipulating his performance in a game to benefit illegal betting.

The FBI secured multiple indictments for more than 30 people related to their alleged role in an explosive gambling scandal that has rocked the NBA. Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones all were arrested as part of the investigation, which involved extensive illegal gambling rings, FBI director Kash Patel said during a news conference Thursday.

Billups was charged in connection with an illegal poker operation tied to the mafia, while Rozier is accused of manipulating his performance during an NBA game to benefit illegal betting. Jones is one of three people charged in both indictments, said Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

The NBA placed Billups and Rozier on ‘immediate leave’ after they were indicted. Billups was in court and arraigned in Portland Thursday afternoon. Here are the latest updates. We will update this story as new information becomes available.

FBI claims Chauncey Billups, mobsters swindled significant sum

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is one of 31 defendants accused of helping mobsters swindle millions of dollars from unsuspecting poker players during a series of rigged games […]

But exactly how much money did these poker games allegedly defraud from victims?

According to the federal indictment, the alleged conspiracy ’caused losses to the Victims of at least $7,150,000,’ though the amount that Billups and other alleged participants earned from the scheme was not listed in the document. — Lorenzo Reyes

USA TODAY Sports reporter Lorenzo Reyes has more on the significant losses alleged in the federal indictment.

Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arraigned Thursday

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arraigned Oct. 23 on charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland.

Billups appeared in a packed Portland courtroom at 1:30 p.m. wearing a brown sweatshirt and gray pants, only saying “Yes,” when Judge Jolie A. Russo asked if he understood his right to remain silent.

After his eight-minute arraignment, in which he was granted his release on the condition he stay only in Oregon and Colorado, Billups looked around the courtroom and was taken away. — Bill Poehler, Salem Statesman Journal

Bill Poehler, writing for the Salem Statesman Journal, has more on Thursday’s arraignment of Chauncey Billups.

Pro poker player says Chauncey Billups was in rigged game years prior

Two years before Chauncey Billups was named in an FBI indictment on Thursday, Oct. 23, a professional poker player said a rigged poker game was “built around” Billups, the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers and NBA Hall of Famer.

Matt Berkey, the 43-year-old poker player, made his allegations in 2023 during an appearance on the “Only Friends’’ podcast. — Josh Peter

USA TODAY Sports’ Josh Peter has more on Berkey’s comments.

Lakers coach JJ Redick comments on NBA gambling

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke with reporters on Thursday and briefly addressed the NBA gambling news.

‘We’ve had two meetings on it already,’ Redick said. ‘It’s obviously on the front of everyone’s awareness given the last two years, but other than that, there’s no other comment.’

What did Terry Rozier do?

One indictment deals with an alleged insider sports-betting conspiracy. Six defendants are charged, including current Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and coach Damon Jones.

Rozier, Jones and others allegedly tried to defraud people from about December of 2022 to March of 2024 by betting based on insider information about NBA athletes and teams. The non-public information included when players would be sitting out future games or when they would pull themselves out early based on purported injuries or illnesses, according to prosecutor Joseph Nocella Jr., who spoke at the news conference.

What did Chauncey Billups do?

The second indictment charges 31 defendants with scheming to rig illegal poker games. The defendants include Portland Trail Blazers coach and former Detroit Pistons star Chauncey Billups and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and coach Damon Jones.

The defendants allegedly used high-tech cheating technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in secretly-fixed underground poker games. For instance, Nocella said they used off-the-shelf shuffling machines that were altered to read the deck’s cards and relay information about which player likely had the best hand.

This scheme also involved the mafia, according to Nocella. That was because members of the Bonano, Gambino and Genovese organized-crime families already had control over non-rigged, illegal poker games in New York City.

Charges in this scheme include wire fraud conspiracy, illegal gambling, money laundering, robbery and extortions, according to Nocella.

Who is Damon Jones?

Here’s what to know about Damon Jones, as the 49-year-old stands among the group of 30-plus people charged in the wide-ranging scandal. Jones is a former basketball player who played 11 seasons in the NBA before becoming an assistant coach.

Who was arrested in NBA gambling, rigged poker games scandal?

Here is the full list of people, along with their aliases, included in the two indictments.

Terry Rozier indictment PDF

Chauncey Billups indictment PDF

Who is Tiago Splitter? What to know about Trail Blazers’ interim coach

Portland named Tiago Splitter its interim coach on Oct. 23, according to ESPN. The former San Antonio Spurs center was in his first season as a Blazers’ assistant. Here’s what to know about Splitter.

NBA puts Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier on leave immediately

The NBA has placed Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier on ‘immediate leave’ after they were indicted in a wide-ranging illegal gambling scheme that includes ties to organized crime and involves more than 30 individuals. The league said it will ‘continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities.’

How Damon Jones allegedly involved LeBron James in gambling scandal

Former NBA player Damon Jones provided non-public injury information about the status of two players in NBA games, according to allegations listed in Thursday’s federal indictments related to a wide-ranging gambling scandal announced by FBI. Those players may have been LeBron James and Anthony Davis, based on public injury information USA TODAY Sports reviewed from the dates of those games. Read more.

Watch the FBI press conference

NBA indictments: Read full details

Read both indictments in full that include Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones.

NBA statement on gambling scandal

The NBA has issued a statement in the wake of Thursday’s indictments related to illegal gambling, announcing that Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their respective teams.

“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today. Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities.  We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”

Chauncey Billups, the Mafia and ‘rigged poker games’

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. detailed the extensive illegal poker scheme, with Mafia ties, that led to Billups’ arrest at Thursday’s games. Beginning as early as 2019, defendants in the case are accused of using wireless cheating technology to run rigged poker games in locales like the Hamptons, Miami, Las Vegas and Manhattan.

Victims were lured to participate in the games by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes, including Billups and Jones. The former professional athletes were known as ‘face cards,’ while the victims were referred to as ‘fish,’ according to Nocella. Members of the Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese organized crime families also allegedly became involved, taking a cut of the rigged poker games and enforcing the collection of debts.

Nocella indicated Billups was a former NBA player and not the Trail Blazers coach at the time of his alleged involvement.

‘What the victims, the fish, didn’t know, is that everybody else at the poker game, from the dealer to the players – including the face cards – were in on the scam,’ Nocella said. ‘Once the game was underway, the defendants fleeced the victims out of tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars per game.’

The alleged fraud included self-shuffling machines that had ‘been secretly altered in order to read the cards on the deck, predict which player on the table had the best poker hand, and relay the information to an offsite operator,’ according to Nocella. ‘The offsite operator sent the information via cell phone back to a co-conspirator at the table and that person at the table was known as the ‘quarterback.’ The ‘quarterback’ then signaled secretly the information he had received to others at the table and together they used that information in order to win their games and to cheat the victims.’

They are also alleged to have used poker chip tray analyzers, special contact lenses or eye glasses that can read pre-marked cards, and an X-ray table that can read cards face down on the table.

Portland Trail Blazers’ statement on NBA gambling indictments

“We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation,’ the team said in a statement released Thursday afternoon. ‘Billups has been placed on immediate leave, and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in the interim. Any further questions should be directed to the NBA.”

Terry Rozier’s attorney responds: ‘Not a gambler’

Jim Trusty, the attorney representing Terry Rozier in this matter, sent a statement to USA TODAY Sports in response to his client’s arrest on Thursday.

‘We have represented Terry Rozier for over a year.  A long time ago we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication,’ Trusty wrote. ‘They characterized Terry as a subject, not a target, but at 6 a.m. this morning they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel. It is unfortunate that instead of allowing him to self surrender they opted for a photo op. They wanted the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk. That tells you a lot about the motivations in this case. They appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing. Terry was cleared by the NBA and these prosecutors revived that non-case. Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.’

NBA gambling scandal: What FBI, Justice Department said

FBI director Kash Patel: ‘The fraud is mind-boggling. … We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-years investigation.”

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. referred to the case involving Rozier as ‘one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States. This scheme is an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential information about National Basketball Association athletes and teams.”

Nocella said the indictment that led to the arrest of Billups, Jones and more than 30 people overall involved ‘a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games. These defendants … used high-tech cheating technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in underground poker games that were secretly fixed.”

Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier arrested

Billups was arrested in Oregon on Thursday morning, one day after a season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Rozier was also arrested Thursday morning at a hotel in Orlando, Florida, where the Heat lost their season opener to the Magic. Rozier did not play in the game due to a coach’s decision. Billups, Rozier and Jones are expected to make a court appearance later Thursday, according to a Justice Department spokesperson.

NBA gambling scandal details: What we know

The years-long investigation spanned 11 states, resulted in more than 30 arrests and implicated the Bonnano, Gambino and Genovese organized crime families, according to Patel. The case involving Billups and Jones centers on rigged poker games that took place across the United States, Patel said, with the scheme targeting victims who were often lured to participate by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes.

The indictment also includes acts of violence, including a robbery at gun-point in order to obtain a rigged shuffling machine, as well as extortions. The defendants laundered their proceeds, according to Justice Department officials, including through cash exchanges, use of multiple shell companies and through cryptocurrency transfers.

At the center of attention in Rozier’s case is a March 23, 2023, game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. Sports books in several states flagged unusual betting activity on Rozier’s statistics, triggering a halt on his prop bets. Rozier, who averaged 35.3 minutes and 21.1 points per game that season, left the game after playing just 10 minutes due to a foot injury.

Justice Department officials alleged on Thursday that more than $200,000 was bet on Rozier’s ‘under’ in the game

Rozier’s attorney previously told ESPN that the veteran guard met with the NBA and FBI several times in 2023, and that the league determined Rozier had done nothing wrong.

The case is part of a larger sports gambling scheme that has already implicated former Raptors forward Jontay Porter.

Who is Chauncey Billups?

Chauncey Billups, 49, was was one game into his fifth season as the coach in Portland after being on the sideline when the Trail Blazers lost their 2025 NBA season opener to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 118-114, on Wednesday. He had a 117-212 career record. elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024 after a 17-year playing career that included an NBA Finals MVP and championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.

Who is Terry Rozier?

Rozier, 31, was traded by the Hornets to the Heat in January 2024. He is currently in the final season of a four-year, $96.3 million contract he signed with Charlotte in 2021.

This is a developing story. USA TODAY Sports will update with more details.

The NBA has placed Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier on immediate leave following federal indictments.
The indictments are part of a wide-ranging illegal gambling scheme with alleged ties to organized crime.
Billups is charged in connection with an illegal poker operation, while Rozier is accused of manipulating his on-court performance for betting purposes.

The NBA has placed Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier on ‘immediate leave’ after they were indicted in a wide-ranging illegal gambling scheme that includes ties to organized crime and involves more than 30 individuals.

‘We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,’ the NBA said in a statement on Thursday, Oct. 23, about two hours after the FBI and Eastern District of New York announced details of the investigation at a news conference. 

The league said it will ‘continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities.’

‘We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,’ the statement said.

Billups was charged in connection with an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia, while Rozier is accused of manipulating his performance during an NBA game to benefit illegal betting.

Rozier previously played for the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets. He was the 16th overall pick in the 2015 draft.

Billups won the 2004 NBA title as a member of the Detroit Pistons and played 17 years in the league. He became Portland’s head coach in 2021 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.

The National Basketball Players’ Association, the players’ union, also released a statement.

‘The integrity of the game is paramount to NBA players, but so is the presumption of innocence, and both are hindered when player popularity is misused to gain attention,’ the NBPA said. ‘We will ensure our members are protected and afforded their due process rights through this process.’

The NBA was rocked by the findings of an FBI investigation into an NBA gambling scandal.

While the findings put the league under a microscope, it specifically impacted the Portland Trail Blazers and their head coach, Chauncey Billups.

An NBA Hall of Famer after a 17-year career, Billups was hired as the head coach of the Blazers in 2021. Billups’ career on NBA sidelines has now come a screeching halt, following his arrest on Oct. 23. The league placed the Blazers’ coach on immediate leave after the indictment was revealed.

With details still emerging and the situation continuing to evolve, it’s unclear when, or if, Billups will return to the sidelines for Portland’s team.

However, it is clear that the team will need a new head coach, which they managed to act swiftly on after the news broke.

Portland named Tiago Splitter its interim coach on Oct. 23, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The former San Antonio Spurs center was in his first season as a Blazers’ assistant.

Here’s what to know.

Who is Tiago Splitter?

Splitter was an assistant coach with the Blazers and is now the team’s interim head coach.

The 40-year-old comes with plenty of experience on the sidelines, both as a player and coach. He was drafted by the Spurs with the 28th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, but didn’t debut until 2010 – playing five seasons for Gregg Popovich.

Splitter played in 355 games, starting in 153, across his seven NBA seasons. The center averaged 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds before retiring in 2018.

It didn’t take long for him to find his way back to the court, landing a gig with the Brooklyn Nets as a pro scout in 2018 and later a player development coach in 2019.

He managed to stick around through mutliple coaching changes in Brooklyn. Originally hired as part of Kenny Atkinson’s staff, Splitter was kept on board for the Steve Nash and Jacque Vaughn eras before leaving the organization in 2023.

The Brazilian spent one season as an assistant with the Houston Rockets and then made a one-year stop in Europe before returning to the NBA as a Blazers assistant in 2025.

Now he will get his chance to make his mark as an NBA head coach.

Parity is alive more than ever in women’s college basketball, therefore there are plenty of teams that aren’t getting as much love as they should before the 2025-26 season tips off.

The preseason USA TODAY Sports coaches poll was released and it should be no surprise the defending national champions and Final Four participants from last season are at the top of the list. They and the rest of the teams in the Top 25 will get some considerable attention, but what about those that didn’t crack the list.

We must remember the preseason poll is all about projecting who the coaches think have a good chance of making noise in the tournament. But of those outside the poll, which ones deserved a spot and could prove their worthiness when the season begins? 

Washington

The Huskies have been a fringe tournament team each season under Tina Langley, but this is shaping up to be the year Washington solidifies itself as a shoe-in March Madness squad. The top two-scorers from last season in Elle Ladine (17.0 ppg) and Sayvia Sellers (15.3 ppg) are back, and Langley struck gold in adding key pieces in the offseason. Five-star recruit Brynn McGaughy will make an immediate contribution and Avery Howell (Southern California) arrives ready to play a significant role at a new home. Mix that with transfer center Yulia Grabovskaia (Michigan) and Washington has a a dark horse Big Ten team.

West Virginia

The loss of JJ Quinerly likely played a role in why the Mountaineers just missed out on being ranked in the preseason poll, but they might be deeper than last season’s tournament team. Jordan Harrison (13.7 ppg) now leads the offense after already proving she’s a reliable ball-handler, and the two Sydney’s – Shaw and Woodley – bring valuable experience. Mix that with new additions like 2024 MEAC player of the year Kierra Wheeler (Norfolk State) and Gia Cooke (Houston) and West Virginia has the tools to be consistently ranked for a second consecutive season.

Richmond

Coming off arguably its greatest season in team history, Richmond has all the tools to reach even bigger heights. The Atlantic 10 squad returns its top two scorers in Maggie Doogan and Rachel Ullstrom, who combined 32.3 points per game last season. Their last ride with the Spiders will also be joined by the arrival inside presence Tierra Simon, who was a key to Saint Louis winning the 2024 WNIT championship. Richmond has won at least 26 regular-season games in back-to-back seasons and it is in tremendous shape to do it once more.

South Dakota State

A consistent mid-major power is poised to remain that way with Aaron Johnston continuing to build a dynasty in Brookings. Even though three starters from last season’s 30-win team are gone, leading scorer Brooklyn Meyer (17.0 ppg) returns as one of the most efficient scorers in the country, along with role players ready to take on elevated roles. It’s been more than 1,300 days since South Dakota State has lost to a Summit League opponent in the regular season, and that unbeaten streak has a great chance of continuing for a while for the Jackrabbits as they eye a fourth consecutive March Madness appearance.  

Michigan State

Robyn Fralick continues building momentum in a crowded Big Ten, and the Spartans look capable of reaching 20 wins again. While Julia Ayrault is gone, Grace VanSlooten (15.5 ppg) returns after a productive first season with Michigan State. There are some solid newcomers coming to East Lansing as well, notably freshman Jordan Ode, who will pair up nicely with fellow guard Theryn Hallock (13.3 ppg). With the way the schedule is shaped up, it shouldn’t be a surprise if Michigan State enters conference play undefeated.

The FBI on Thursday, Oct. 23, announced the arrest of more than 30 people in connection with a pair of alleged gambling rings on charges of conspiring to commit fraud, money laundering, illegal gambling and extortion.

Among those arrested were Basketball Hall of Famer and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard and 10-year NBA veteran Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and coach Damon Jones.

The investigations involved an alleged insider sports-betting conspiracy and an alleged scheme to rig illegal poker games. Several people, including Jones, were named in both.

Here is the full list of people, along with their aliases, included in the two indictments:

People named in NBA gambling probe indictment

Eric Earnest (‘Spook’)
Marves Fairley (‘Vez,’ ‘Vezino’ or ‘Vezino Locks’)
Shane Hennen (‘Sugar’)
Damon Jones (‘Dee Jones’)
Deniro Laster (‘Niro,’ ‘Payso’ or ‘Peso’)
Terry Rozier (‘Scary Terry’ or ‘Chum’)

People named in FBI ‘Rigged Poker Scheme’ indictment

Ernest Aiello
Nelson Alvarez (‘Spanish G’)
Louis Apicella (‘Lou Ap’)
Ammar Awawdeh (‘Flapper Poker’ or ‘Flappy’)
Saul Becher
Chauncey Billups
Matthew Daddino (‘Matty’ or ‘The Wrestler’)
Eric Earnest (‘Spook’)
Lee Fama
John Gallo
Marco Garzon
Thomas Gelardo (‘Juice’)
Jamie Gilet
Tony Goodson (‘Black Tony’)
Kenny Han
Shane Hennen (‘Sugar’)
Osman Hoti (‘Albanian Bruce’ or ‘Big Bruce’)
Horatio Hu (‘H’)
Zhen Hu (‘Jonathan Chan,’ ‘Scruli’ or ‘Stanley’)
Damon Jones (‘Dee Jones’)
Joseph Lanni
John Mazzola (‘John South’)
Curtis Meeks (‘Curt’)
Nicholas Minucci
Michael Renzulli
Anthony Ruggiero Jr.
Anthony Shnayderman (‘Doc’)
Robert Stroud (‘Black Rob’)
Seth Trustman
Sophia Wei (‘Pookie’)
Julius Ziliani (‘Jay’)

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UConn guard Azzi Fudd’s perception of coach Geno Auriemma has evolved over her five seasons in Storrs, Connecticut. The winningest coach in college basketball history has a little perspective on what it means to be part of the Huskies program.

Auriemma advised Fudd to embrace every single moment of her final season, words of wisdom she scoffed at years ago. 

“I remember hearing it for the first time as a freshman and being like, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s so dramatic,’” Fudd said Tuesday during Big East media day. “As I’ve gotten older, I’m like ‘Wow. We really are lucky.’ So really just trying to embrace all of that. Enjoy this last year with my teammates. Enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly.”

Fudd opted to return for her fifth and final year of eligibility to unlock her full potential, at the advice of Auriemma. The appreciation of embracing the opportunity highlights Fudd’s maturity as a redshirt senior preparing to step into a leadership role for UConn. The Huskies, who are ranked No. 1 in USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll to start the season for the first time since 2017, are looking to repeat as champion. After the departure of three-time All-American guard Paige Bueckers, the Huskies will rely on Fudd, a quiet and introverted star, to take over.

‘Everything about this year is going to be a challenge. I knew that going in,’ Fudd said. ‘I’m excited about what else I can add, what else I can learn. Whether that’s specifically on the court with my ball handling, bringing the ball up, or it’s leadership. I think this year has been all about embracing the hard.’

Azzi Fudd: ‘This is the healthiest I’ve been at UConn’

Fudd was battle tested long before she arrived at UConn as the nation’s top basketball prospect in 2021. The 5-foot-11 guard tore her right ACL and MCL at age 16 during a USA Basketball 3-on-3 tournament in April 2019, a little more than a month after becoming the first sophomore to be named the Gatorade Player of the Year. Nine months of rehab were followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, an abbreviated junior season and the cancellation of her senior season of high school. 

The ability to bounce back from any obstacle instilled confidence in Fudd last season. She played a career-high 34 games and was named Most Outstanding Player in UConn’s national title win over South Carolina after scoring a game-high 24 points. She’s widely expected to be a top pick in the 2026 WNBA draft.

“The adversity I’ve been through has taught me a lot about just how strong I am,” Fudd said on Tuesday. “As an athlete, it’s easy to get caught in the highs and the lows. So being able to reflect and look at all that I’ve overcome. … I should have all the confidence in the world.’

Fudd, 22, said she’s ‘feeling great physically’ heading into the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season, adding this is ‘the healthiest I’ve been since I’ve been at UConn.’

‘I haven’t even been playing basketball for a whole year yet,’ Fudd said. ‘At this point last year, I think I might’ve just started doing full practices. To think how far I came just in that last year. … I’m excited to see what a healthy season looks like for me.’

Can the Huskies repeat? Geno Auriemma weighs in

UConn, which had a record 12 titles, hasn’t defended a national championship in a decade. The Huskies were the last team to successfully repeat when Breanna Stewart led them to four consecutive titles from 2013 to 2016. UConn also repeated in 2009 and 2010 and had a three-peat from 2002 to 2004, all under Auriemma.

The difficulty of winning back-to-back national championships boils down to two things —  letdown and turnover, Auriemma said. After a team has worked its way to the top of the mountain, he said it’s critical players resist human nature and maintain their edge.

‘Because we’ve done it already, (players are) bored during the season and wait for the NCAA Tournament because that’s the most fun,” Auriemma added. “They forget what a road it was to get to that point … so we got to remind them of that and not be too cocky going into the season, but confident.”

The Huskies lineup looks different with the departures of Bueckers, Kaitlyn Chen and Aubrey Griffin to graduation and Quadence Samuels (NC State) to the transfer portal. ‘Every year you’re dealing with losing a couple of really, really big pieces. This year we’re losing a huge, huge piece in Paige (Bueckers),’ said Auriemma, noting ‘it’ll take some time’ for his new team to mesh.

The Huskies added transfers Serah Williams (Wisconsin) and Kayleigh Heckel (Southern Cal), in addition to incoming freshmen Kelis Fisher, Gandy Malou-Mamel and Blanca Quinonez.

When looking back at each of his teams that were able to successfully win back-to-back championships, Auriemma said ‘each one of those repeats had returners who were able to almost carry it on their own. The (Diana Taurasi) repeats (in 2003 and 2004) were (Taurasi) knowing how to lift the tide.

‘We don’t have a (Taurasi) personality on our team, so that’s going to have to evolve.’

Azzi Fudd ‘learned a lot’ from Paige Bueckers

The evolution of Fudd is already underway. Sophomore forward Sarah Strong said she’s seen Fudd take initiative as the team gears up for its season opener against Louisville on Nov. 4. She went as far as saying Fudd ‘looks like a whole different player on the court,’ compared to last year’s title run.

‘She’s more comfortable with being a leader and speaking up with the team,’ Strong said on Tuesday. ‘I would say more confident. More assertive. And more aggressive looking for her shot first.’

Fudd said she ‘learned a lot’ about leadership from her time at UConn alongside Bueckers, in addition to watching her Rookie of the Year-caliber season with the Dallas Wings in the WNBA this summer.

‘I feel like the way that she just carries herself. She’s just a great person and a great teammate,’ Fudd said of Bueckers. ‘The way she cares for her teammates. She’s going to lead in a personal way.

‘I feel like what I learned from her is just the attention to detail she had for things.’

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Former NBA player Damon Jones was arrested as part of a federal gambling investigation.
Jones and other former athletes, called ‘face cards,’ were allegedly used to entice victims.
Jones played 11 seasons in the NBA for 10 different teams and later won a title as an assistantt coach.

Former NBA player Damon Jones was arrested Oct. 23 as a result of a federal gambling investigation, FBI director Kash Patel announced.

‘Beginning as early as 2019, the defendants in this case orchestrated a large-scale operation, coordinating the use of wireless cheating technology to rig poker games across the United States, including in the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami, and Manhattan,’ Patel said in a news conference Thursday. ‘The scheme specifically targeted victims, referred to as ‘fish,’ who were often enticed to participate in these rigged games by the opportunity to play alongside former professional athletes, known as ‘face cards,”

‘Among these face cards were Chauncey Billups, a former NBA player and currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Damon Jones, also a former NBA player and coach,’ Patel added. ‘What the victims, or ‘fish,’ did not realize was that everyone else at the poker game, from the dealer to the other players, including the face cards, was complicit in the scam.’

Here’s what to know about Jones, as the 49-year-old stands among the group of 30-plus people charged in the wide-ranging scandal.

Who is Damon Jones?

Jones is a former basketball player who played 11 seasons in the NBA. The 6-4 combo guard went undrafted out of Houston in 1997 after a four-year career with the Cougars and began his playing career with the International Basketball Association’s Black Hills Posse in 1997.

Jones eventually made his NBA debut in 1999 with the then-New Jersey Nets. He ended up playing for 10 different teams around the association but was most noted for his three-year stretch with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-08.

Below is a look at Jones’ NBA timeline:

New Jersey Nets (1999)
Boston Celtics (1999)
Golden State Warriors (1999)
Dallas Mavericks (1999-2000)
Vancouver Grizzlies (2000-01)
Detroit Pistons (2001-02)
Sacramento Kings (2002-03)
Milwaukee Bucks (2003-04)
Miami Heat (2004-05)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2005-08)
Milwaukee Bucks (2008-09)

Jones played overseas for a few seasons following his stint with the Bucks before finishing his professional basketball career in 2012 with the Reno Bighorns (now the Stockton Kings) of the NBA’s G League.

Damon Jones stats for playing career

Jones played in 114 career games across his 11-year playing career. Most of those came during the 2004-05 season, when he played 66 games for the Miami Heat.

Here’s a full look at Jones’ per-game stats from his NBA career:

Points: 6.6
Rebounds: 1.6
Assists: 2.7
Steals: 0.4
Blocks: 0
Field goal %: 40.7
3-point %: 39

Damon Jones coaching career

Jones spent three seasons coaching in the Cavaliers organization. He was an assistant for the G League’s Canton Charge for the 2015-16 campaign and then was a part of Tyronn Lue’s staff from 2016-18.

Lue elevated Jones to the Cleveland bench for the 2016 NBA playoffs. The Cavaliers won the championship that year, earning Jones his first and only NBA title.

Damon Jones net worth, career earnings

There is no concrete information about Jones’ net worth, but Basketball Reference reports he earned just over $21.7 million during his professional basketball career.

The Dallas Wings are expected to hire longtime University of South Florida head coach Jose Fernandez.

South Florida announced in a social media post Thursday that Fernandez informed the university of ‘his decision to pursue an opportunity to coach at the next level in the WNBA’ following 25 seasons at the helm of the Bulls women’s basketball team. Both ESPN and SB Nation reported the Wings are closing in on a deal for Fernandez to become the team’s fifth head coach in seven seasons.

‘While this is a bittersweet moment for our program, it is a well-deserved opportunity for Jose to realize a professional dream, and we are incredibly proud of him,’ USF athletics CEO Rob Higgins added in the statement.

Fernandez will take over a Wings team that finished 10-34 last season, tied for last place in the WNBA standings with the Chicago Sky, despite a sensational Rookie of the Year campaign from the Wings 2025 No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers. Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals while shooting 47.4% from the floor, 33.1% from the 3-point line and 88.8% from the free throw line.

The Wings parted ways with head coach Chris Koclanes on Sept. 30 after one season in hopes of building a strong culture around Bueckers to contend for a championship.

Fernandez, 53, led USF to a 485–317 record, 10 NCAA tournament and nine WNIT appearances, including a WNIT title in 2009 and WNIT semifinal finish in 2014. Fernandez was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2021.

‘Over the past 25 years, Jose has been an exceptional leader, mentor and advocate for the University of South Florida,’ Higgins said. ‘His impact on USF Athletics and our university community is profound, and his legacy will be remembered and celebrated for years to come.’

Fernandez is the latest WNBA head coach expected to be hired.

The Portland Fire hired Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Alex Sarama as its inaugural head coach, while the Toronto Tempo are the expected to hire former New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello. Two head coaching vacancies remain in the WNBA: the Seattle Storm and the New York Liberty.

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Eric ‘Spook’ Earnest. Marves ‘Vezino Locks’ Fairley. Shane ‘Sugar’ Heenan. And ‘Scary Terry’ Rozier.

The FBI indictment charging six individuals in a gambling case that has ensnared the NBA isn’t short on nicknames or internet culture. In the 23-page document unsealed Thursday morning, serious allegations including wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy were bundled with aliases common in the sports and betting world.

In Rozier’s case, the nickname ‘Scary Terry’ didn’t emerge until well into his professional career. While playing for the Boston Celtics in 2018, fans on Twitter/X and Reddit bestowed the nickname on the guard, ostensibly borrowing the name from a character on Cartoon Network series ‘Rick and Morty’ — the character itself is a spoof of the villainous Freddy Krueger from the ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ franchise.

According to the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, Rozier’s team gladly adopted the moniker and began selling branded merchandise, ultimately landing Rozier in legal trouble over the use of copyrighted intellectual property. The nickname also found its way to Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who saw his name trending earlier Thursday due to some obvious confusion.

Now the moniker is on the official FBI indictment alongside:

Eric Earnest: also known as ‘Spook’
Marves Fairley: also known as ‘Vez’, ‘Vezino’ and ‘Vezino Locks’
Shane Hennen: also known as ‘Sugar’
Damon Jones: alson known as ‘D Jones’ and ‘Dee Jones’
Deniro Laster: also known as ‘Niro’, ‘Payso’ and ‘Peso’
Terry Rozier: also known as ‘Scary Terry’ and ‘Chum’
Nelson Alvarez: also known as ‘Spanish G’
Ammar Awawdeh: also known as ‘Flapper Poker’ and ‘Flappy’
Matthew Daddino: also known as ‘The Wrestler’

Fairley appears to have run an Instagram account providing betting advice under the alias ‘Vezino Locks’, with ‘locks’ serving as betting slang for a guaranteed winner, though often the name is used in jest. Billups’ nickname — ‘Mr. Big Shot’ — was not included in the indictment.

The FBI revealed the investigations were also given cheeky codenames, including ‘Operation Royal Flush’ and ‘Operation Nothing But Bet’. In total, more than 30 people were indicted across the investigations that the FBI linked together and featured ties to the mafia in New York.

‘We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,’ The NBA said in a statement. ‘Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities.  We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”

The New Orleans Saints are navigating a rebuild in their first year under coach Kellen Moore. They have just a 1-6 record entering Week 8 and figure to be in the running for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Could that prompt the Saints to be sellers at the NFL trade deadline? It would stand to reason New Orleans may want to get future assets for players who may not fit its timeline for contention.

While that will mostly apply to veterans like 36-year-old Demario Davis or players on one-year deals like Rashid Shaheed, the Saints could explore trading their top receiver, 25-year-old Chris Olave, if they get commensurate value for the 2022 first-round pick.

Olave is ‘being monitored’ by teams needing a wide receiver ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. That doesn’t necessarily guarantee the Saints will be willing to move the Ohio State product. They do have him under contract through the 2026 season after exercising his fifth-year option, after all.

Still, a trade certainly can’t be ruled out, especially if few teams emerge as legitimate sellers ahead of the deadline.

Where could Olave land if he is traded? Below is a look at the top options amid the trade rumors.

New York Giants

The Giants are expected to go ‘big-game hunting’ at receiver after losing Malik Nabers to a torn ACL, per SNY’s Connor Hughes. It’s easy to understand why, as the team is currently relying on Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton to lead their receiver group following Nabers’ injury.

Suffice to say that Olave would be a big upgrade as a top-end weapon for Jaxson Dart. He is a consistent playmaker when healthy and would profile as a strong long-term partner for Nabers. That could convince Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen, who remain on the hot seat, to swing a deal for the 25-year-old to try to turn around their 2-5 season.

New England Patriots

The Patriots are going ‘to take a long-term view’ at the trade deadline while assessing their roster, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported in a recent appearance on NBC Sports Boston. That would seemingly put Olave firmly in play for the franchise.

The Patriots have gotten strong production out 31-year-old Stefon Diggs and downfield threat Kayshon Boutte, but they could use a potential No. 1 wideout to develop alongside Drake Maye. Olave, who started his career with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before an injury-plagued 2024 season, would provide that.

New England also has an NFL-high $55 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com. The team could use those financial resources to land the proven, young wideout and extend him. That would go a long way toward finishing the transformation of the Patriots’ receiving corps from a weakness into a strength.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills are another AFC East team that could use a potential No. 1 receiver. Josh Allen has fared well using tight end Dalton Kincaid and slot-man Khalil Shakir as his top weapons, but adding a versatile, inside-outside threat like Olave could bring Buffalo’s passing game to the next level.

Brandon Beane was aggressive in trading for Amari Cooper to help Buffalo’s receiving corps ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline. He could take a similar approach if a player like Olave becomes available.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are ‘in the market for a receiver,’ according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The team made two big-time trades at the position during the offseason, acquiring DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks and sending George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, but could look to acquire another player to play across from Metcalf.

Olave would be a strong fit, as he has the versatility needed to play both in the slot and on the outside for the Steelers. Pittsburgh could then move the two talented receivers around to create mismatches while shifting Calvin Austin III into a more appropriate role as a speed-based No. 3 receiver.

The Steelers likely want to go all-in with 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers playing on a one-year deal. They could be motivated to swing a big-time deal to get the receiving upgrade they so desperately need after Pittsburgh saw its non-Metcalf receivers rack up just 16 receptions across the first seven weeks of the season.

Philadelphia Eagles

Never count Howie Roseman out in the NFL trade market. The Eagles have typically been one of the NFL’s most active teams when it comes to trades during his tenure, and Olave could pique his interest as the 25-yera-old finishes out his rookie contract.

The Eagles have a strong receiver duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the roster, but Philadelphia has seemingly been on an endless quest to find a high-quality No. 3 receiver. Olave would provide them that and could also open the door for a future Brown trade, as the 28-year-old veteran has appeared disgruntled at times during the 2025 NFL season.

Either way, Olave’s salary for the remainder of 2025 is manageable while his 2026 value of just under $15.5 million is more than reasonable for a player with his skillset.