To some in Denver, Billups never left

Community, school still important part of his life
By Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published November 6, 2008 at 7:50 p.m.

In a span of 48 hours, Tony Wells saw two things he never thought possible.
A black man elected to the White House and Chauncey Billups back in a Nuggets uniform.
"Both of them are on the same level," said Wells, a longtime youth basketball and track coach, with a laugh. "I give (the edge) to Barack because he's a little older."

For Wells and the Hiawatha Davis Rec Center regulars, Monday's news that Billups was returning to his native Denver momentarily upstaged Barack Obama's bid for the presidency.
"They was dancing and partying," Wells said between pinochle hands. "This is Chauncey's home, man. This is his house."

Nearly 25 years after taking the court at Hiawatha Davis - formerly known as Skyland Rec Center - Billups returned home for the second time in his NBA career as the centerpiece of the trade that sent Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons.

Billups, who appeared in 58 games for the Nuggets from 1998 to 2000, is expected to be in uniform tonight against the Dallas Mavericks.

"Great timing for him," said John Hodges, a longtime friend and mentor. "He's heading toward the end of his career. Might as well retire where he grew up, close to family and friends. . . . It's always an honor to have one of your hometown heroes come back."

For those at Hiawatha and George Washington High School, Billups never really left the Park Hill community where he grew up.

In addition to helping finance the $4.5 million remodeling of Hiawatha Davis, he sponsors youth teams and helps run basketball clinics at the rec center during the summer. When the Pistons made their annual trip to play the Nuggets, Billups inevitably would stop by to play a game of cards or dominoes.

"Chauncey has been a young man who has remained connected to our school and community, even though he's been in Detroit for a number of years," said George Washington football coach Steve Finesilver, who was Billups' science and physical- education teacher in the early 1990s.

"He will reconnect with Denver and do even more wonderful things than he's already done."

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