Former Denver Nugget Chauncey Billups joined Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast and opened up on a number of topics, including the possibility of coaching.
Billups cited his affinity for impacting players and being a leader as factors that played into his future plans of leading a team as a coach.
“I know I like to have a day-to-day impact on guys,” Billups said, “similar to how I was as a player, when I led a lot of my teams.”
Billups was offered an assistant position on Frank Vogel’s staff in Orlando last month, presenting the five-time All Star with his first legitimate opportunity to break into the coaching ranks, but he passed.
“Well, I didn’t really search for that job,” Billups said. “It kind of came to me. Knowing Coach Vogel since we came to the league together — I was in Boston (as a rookie), he was the video guy in Boston — it was his first year when I came in, so we kind of grew together a little bit in this league and every time I see Coach Vogel since I retired he’s like, ‘Man I’d love for you to be on my staff.'”
When Billups went to interview with the Magic, it was difficult for him not to be impressed by what they had to offer him.
“I think very highly of (Vogel),” Billups said. “I think he’s a very good young coach in our league. So I looked at it, and he presented an awesome opportunity for me. I love him and I love (Assistant GM) Scott Perry in the front office, (GM) Rob Hennigan, those guys were very good to me as well.”
Ultimately, though, Billups turned down the position for personal reasons.
“My second daughter has a couple more years of high school so I didn’t really want to move away. It became more of a personal thing than just a coaching job. But it was a great opportunity.”
Just because he turned down a position now doesn’t mean something in the future won’t be intriguing enough for him to bite, especially if it’s in his hometown of Denver, Colorado.
