Matt
10-31-2006, 07:59 AM
Chauncey Billups: 'I am a leader' (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061031/SPORTS0102/610310394/1127)
Guard likes role of running the show on and off the court
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
AUBURN HILLS -- An illustration of leadership:
Chauncey Billups noticed something was odd and maybe a little off with Carlos Delfino early during training camp. His body language and overall demeanor was bad, droopy, like he was either mad about something or just not having any fun.
Billups gave it a couple weeks. Then, not seeing any improvement, he decided to intervene. He and a couple other veterans took Delfino out to dinner one night last week.
Billups got right to the point.
He asked Delfino, simply, "Are you with us or not?" Billups told Delfino the team was counting on him this season and if he didn't want to be here, speak up now. After Delfino assured him he did want to be here, Billups told him to start acting like it.
Whatever it is that's been bothering you, Billups said, let it go. It's not important. We've all gone through stuff in our careers. All that matters now is we need you with us. We need you to be a part of what we're trying to accomplish this season. We have to be able to trust you are with us.
President Joe Dumars and coach Flip Saunders could have said those same words to Delfino without having nearly the same effect. Once Billups reached out to Delfino, the change was almost immediate. Delfino began smiling more at practice. He made himself more available to his teammates, even allowing himself to get mixed up in some of Rasheed Wallace's high jinks. Delfino and Lindsey Hunter started their own postpractice shooting regimen.
Delfino, for now, is back in the fold.
Two of a kind
Billups will tell you nothing has changed, in terms of his leadership responsibilities with the Pistons. He will tell you he plans to lead this team the same way he has since he was signed July 17, 2002.
"I honestly don't feel like I have anything to prove," he said. "People know what I do. I am a leader whose goal is just to help my team win."
But something has changed. Ben Wallace is gone. The last four seasons, Wallace and Billups shared leadership of the team in an amicable but divergent manner. Wallace led by example. Billups was the vocal leader. Wallace only spoke up when he felt a crisis was at hand. Billups only stopped talking when Wallace spoke out.
And though they never quarreled, never contradicted each other in public, it became obvious last season a tug-of-war was taking place over the team's identity. Billups was more closely aligned with Saunders in his desire to change with the times and become a more offensive-oriented team. Wallace balked every time the Pistons moved too far away from the grinding defensive style of that 2004 championship team.
Ben Wallace is gone now, and Billups is the voice andface of the franchise.
He's the one who swings the sledgehammer in the pregame video presentation. He's the one who is introduced last.
"Does that put more pressure on me?" Billups said. "I don't know. I really don't look at it like that. From the outside, they may be saying, 'Dang, he's never really had that before.' And really, I haven't. But I don't look at it any other way. I don't mind that responsibility. I think I have always stepped up and taken that bull by the horns. I have always been ready to take on that challenge."
Dumars is comfortable with the Pistons' new face. And why not? In Billups, he could not have found a more reasonable facsimile of himself. Although Dumars' public persona was more subdued than Billups', both are similar in the way they exude confidence and communicate trust to their teammates.
"I talked to Chauncey a whole lot this summer," Dumars said. "We had a lot of conversations about our team, the direction and what needs to happen. He realizes, being the captain and the main spokesman, that a lot of that falls on his shoulders. And you know what? He's taken to it, man. He really has embraced being in that position."
Dumars said Billups has been given this responsibility at the perfect time in his career. He's 30 years old, coming off an All-Star season and he's fully established as one of the elite point guards in the league.
"The thing about leadership," Dumars said, "it has to be natural. You can't try to create some kind of personality. It has to be natural. What he's doing now is what he's always done. He just has grown into the role so much, he doesn't have to step outside of himself or try to be something he's not."
MVP candidate
Billups averaged career-highs in points (18.5) and assists (8.6) last season, and led the NBA and set a franchise record with a 4.1-1 assist-turnover ratio. Not only did he make his first All-Star Game appearance, he also finished fifth in the league's MVP voting.
"When the whole season was over, when I finally got over how the season ended and was able to look back, I thought to myself, 'Wow, I was in the MVP race,' " Billups said. "I took some gratitude from that. I worked hard for that, even though winning the MVP was never my goal. But it showed that my hard work had paid off. I mean, to be mentioned in that race, to me, felt like I won it."
This is a contract season for Billups. He almost assuredly will opt out of the $6.82 million he is due next season. But Billups said he would allow neither that nor his heavier leadership role to deter him from the larger issue of trying to win another championship thisseason.
"I had a great year last year and I look forward to having another great year this year," he said. "But, I think the change in our system made the biggest impact on me and why my numbers changed. My opportunities to score and make plays were greater. I could've done the same thing the year before but with Larry (Brown), we didn't play that kind of style.
"My numbers aren't going to go up because I had to take more of a leadership role. It's a game-to-game thing. My bottom-line is to win games. If I have to score more to do that sometimes, I will try to do that. If I have to pass more, then that's what I will do."
'On the same page'
So much can change between now and July 1, certainly. And Billups has vowed not to discuss his pending free agency until after the season. But if there was ever a picture of a completely content athlete who has found his absolute comfort zone, it's Billups holding court at the Pistons' practice facility.
He's telling the story of when it first dawned on him he was indeed the face of the franchise. It was before the first exhibition and he was waiting for trainer Mike Abdenour to pull him up out of his seat, which has been their tradition.
"Abs is like just chilling, and I am getting a little anxious, you know, because I always get announced first," he said. "Then I heard them announce Tay (Prince) and I was like, 'Oh wow, now I get it. I am going to be announced last.' That was cool. It made me feel good."
Then, as he was walking away, he looked back and said, "You know, I hope I am here for however many more years I play."
You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com.
definitely a big year for chauncey. he's coming off a huge season and now he's the undeniable leader of the team. chauncey's always struck me as a very intelligent guy and i'd be happy with him re-signing big here in detroit. his game seems to be suited for longevity, since his strength and shooting can remain when his speed starts to deteriorate.
Guard likes role of running the show on and off the court
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
AUBURN HILLS -- An illustration of leadership:
Chauncey Billups noticed something was odd and maybe a little off with Carlos Delfino early during training camp. His body language and overall demeanor was bad, droopy, like he was either mad about something or just not having any fun.
Billups gave it a couple weeks. Then, not seeing any improvement, he decided to intervene. He and a couple other veterans took Delfino out to dinner one night last week.
Billups got right to the point.
He asked Delfino, simply, "Are you with us or not?" Billups told Delfino the team was counting on him this season and if he didn't want to be here, speak up now. After Delfino assured him he did want to be here, Billups told him to start acting like it.
Whatever it is that's been bothering you, Billups said, let it go. It's not important. We've all gone through stuff in our careers. All that matters now is we need you with us. We need you to be a part of what we're trying to accomplish this season. We have to be able to trust you are with us.
President Joe Dumars and coach Flip Saunders could have said those same words to Delfino without having nearly the same effect. Once Billups reached out to Delfino, the change was almost immediate. Delfino began smiling more at practice. He made himself more available to his teammates, even allowing himself to get mixed up in some of Rasheed Wallace's high jinks. Delfino and Lindsey Hunter started their own postpractice shooting regimen.
Delfino, for now, is back in the fold.
Two of a kind
Billups will tell you nothing has changed, in terms of his leadership responsibilities with the Pistons. He will tell you he plans to lead this team the same way he has since he was signed July 17, 2002.
"I honestly don't feel like I have anything to prove," he said. "People know what I do. I am a leader whose goal is just to help my team win."
But something has changed. Ben Wallace is gone. The last four seasons, Wallace and Billups shared leadership of the team in an amicable but divergent manner. Wallace led by example. Billups was the vocal leader. Wallace only spoke up when he felt a crisis was at hand. Billups only stopped talking when Wallace spoke out.
And though they never quarreled, never contradicted each other in public, it became obvious last season a tug-of-war was taking place over the team's identity. Billups was more closely aligned with Saunders in his desire to change with the times and become a more offensive-oriented team. Wallace balked every time the Pistons moved too far away from the grinding defensive style of that 2004 championship team.
Ben Wallace is gone now, and Billups is the voice andface of the franchise.
He's the one who swings the sledgehammer in the pregame video presentation. He's the one who is introduced last.
"Does that put more pressure on me?" Billups said. "I don't know. I really don't look at it like that. From the outside, they may be saying, 'Dang, he's never really had that before.' And really, I haven't. But I don't look at it any other way. I don't mind that responsibility. I think I have always stepped up and taken that bull by the horns. I have always been ready to take on that challenge."
Dumars is comfortable with the Pistons' new face. And why not? In Billups, he could not have found a more reasonable facsimile of himself. Although Dumars' public persona was more subdued than Billups', both are similar in the way they exude confidence and communicate trust to their teammates.
"I talked to Chauncey a whole lot this summer," Dumars said. "We had a lot of conversations about our team, the direction and what needs to happen. He realizes, being the captain and the main spokesman, that a lot of that falls on his shoulders. And you know what? He's taken to it, man. He really has embraced being in that position."
Dumars said Billups has been given this responsibility at the perfect time in his career. He's 30 years old, coming off an All-Star season and he's fully established as one of the elite point guards in the league.
"The thing about leadership," Dumars said, "it has to be natural. You can't try to create some kind of personality. It has to be natural. What he's doing now is what he's always done. He just has grown into the role so much, he doesn't have to step outside of himself or try to be something he's not."
MVP candidate
Billups averaged career-highs in points (18.5) and assists (8.6) last season, and led the NBA and set a franchise record with a 4.1-1 assist-turnover ratio. Not only did he make his first All-Star Game appearance, he also finished fifth in the league's MVP voting.
"When the whole season was over, when I finally got over how the season ended and was able to look back, I thought to myself, 'Wow, I was in the MVP race,' " Billups said. "I took some gratitude from that. I worked hard for that, even though winning the MVP was never my goal. But it showed that my hard work had paid off. I mean, to be mentioned in that race, to me, felt like I won it."
This is a contract season for Billups. He almost assuredly will opt out of the $6.82 million he is due next season. But Billups said he would allow neither that nor his heavier leadership role to deter him from the larger issue of trying to win another championship thisseason.
"I had a great year last year and I look forward to having another great year this year," he said. "But, I think the change in our system made the biggest impact on me and why my numbers changed. My opportunities to score and make plays were greater. I could've done the same thing the year before but with Larry (Brown), we didn't play that kind of style.
"My numbers aren't going to go up because I had to take more of a leadership role. It's a game-to-game thing. My bottom-line is to win games. If I have to score more to do that sometimes, I will try to do that. If I have to pass more, then that's what I will do."
'On the same page'
So much can change between now and July 1, certainly. And Billups has vowed not to discuss his pending free agency until after the season. But if there was ever a picture of a completely content athlete who has found his absolute comfort zone, it's Billups holding court at the Pistons' practice facility.
He's telling the story of when it first dawned on him he was indeed the face of the franchise. It was before the first exhibition and he was waiting for trainer Mike Abdenour to pull him up out of his seat, which has been their tradition.
"Abs is like just chilling, and I am getting a little anxious, you know, because I always get announced first," he said. "Then I heard them announce Tay (Prince) and I was like, 'Oh wow, now I get it. I am going to be announced last.' That was cool. It made me feel good."
Then, as he was walking away, he looked back and said, "You know, I hope I am here for however many more years I play."
You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com.
definitely a big year for chauncey. he's coming off a huge season and now he's the undeniable leader of the team. chauncey's always struck me as a very intelligent guy and i'd be happy with him re-signing big here in detroit. his game seems to be suited for longevity, since his strength and shooting can remain when his speed starts to deteriorate.