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As Pistons legend Chauncey Billups is inducted into the Hall of Fame, Ricardo Patton reveals the origins of “Mr. Big Shot'

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As Pistons legend Chauncey Billups is inducted into the Hall of Fame, Ricardo Patton reveals the origins of “Mr. Big Shot'

Detroit — Before his game-winning baskets at the Palace of Auburn Hills sent fans into a frenzy as a member of the Detroit Pistons, Chauncey Billups' legacy as Mr. Big Shot began seven years earlier in Lubbock, Texas.

When the game ended 78-78 late in the fourth quarter, Billups found himself in the middle of a scrum arranged by coach Ricardo Patton. The Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team was locked in a close battle with No. 20 Texas Tech, and with 10 seconds left, Patton had devised a plan to have Billups pop off a ball screen for a potentially game-winning shot.

Billups pleaded with Patton to change the game. Patton relented, called a 1-4 drop and told his players to stay out of Billups' way. Billups seamlessly penetrated the perimeter and shot a game-winning basket over his defender, giving the Buffaloes an 80-78 victory. Patton celebrated with Billups at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum in January 1997.

27 years later, Patton celebrated again like a proud father. Instead of celebrating a college victory, Patton rejoiced in Billups' induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday night at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“That may have been the origin of Mr. Big Shot,” Patton told The Detroit News. “He’s been a real, intellectual basketball player for a long time. Everything he got, he worked for. Sometimes people get lucky. But Chauncey’s achievement was the fruit of his labor.”

Patton coached Billups during his two-year career at Colorado, an honor he once thought unimaginable. Patton began his career as an assistant coach in 1993 and was tasked with the daunting challenge of recruiting Billups. A three-time winner of Colorado's Mr. Basketball (1993-95), Billups had nearly every major college looking for his talent.

Billups was one of the best players in the country during his prep career at George Washington High School. His desire to stay close to home led to his commitment to the University of Colorado. However, Patton was one of the first coaches to get an early glimpse of the intangibles that made Billups a force on and off the field.

“He was a young man who was very focused and had a mission to become one of the best players in the country,” Patton said. “I was always fascinated by his basketball IQ. He was a student of the game. He was hungry for great success and that’s what he did.”

Billups overhauled Colorado's basketball program. Prior to his arrival, the Buffaloes' last NCAA Tournament appearance came in the 1968-69 season. As a sophomore, Billups led the Buffaloes to their most successful season in 28 years.

Colorado finished the 1996-97 season with a 22-10 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, where Billups led the Buffaloes to a massive upset over Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round. Billups led Colorado to an 80-67 victory with 24 points on 8 of 14 shooting, 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, five rebounds, three assists and a steal. The Buffaloes' season ended in the second round against the North Carolina Tar Heels, who featured Hall of Fame classmate Vince Carter.

“What the Hall of Fame says: 'He's one of the best basketball players – period,'” Patton said. “It didn’t matter if it was college or the NBA. This award shows that he was one of the best players of all time. His character helped him achieve great things because he always remained humble and hungry.”

“He was never satisfied, no matter what he accomplished in Colorado. He always wanted to achieve more. And he maintained that attitude throughout his entire NBA career.”

When Billups agreed to a multi-year deal with the Detroit Pistons in July 2002, it was absurd to allow himself to be immortalized in Springfield. He was a former lottery pick who spent his first six seasons playing for four different teams after the Boston Celtics selected him No. 3 overall in the 1997 NBA Draft.

The Pistons gave Billups the opportunity to transform his career from a first-round bust to Finals MVP (2004) and five-time All-Star. However, the move to Detroit also gave Billups a chance to apply Patton's lessons on an NBA floor.

As Billups' college coach, Patton played an important role in laying the foundation that made him one of the best point guards of his generation and someone now enshrined in basketball immortality.

“(The Hall of Fame) wasn’t a surprise,” Patton said. “He had the whole package. He honed his craft and made those around him better. And that's what he's doing now as a coach. He was a phenomenon.”

“His parents, Ray and Faye Billups, did a phenomenal job teaching Chauncey the core values ​​of life. They were instrumental in his decision to stay home and attend the University of Colorado. They have made Chauncey who he is throughout his career and throughout his life.”

Collins joins Billups in Springfield

Former Pistons coach Doug Collins was one of 13 members inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday night. Whether as a four-time All-Star (1976-1979) during his playing days with the Philadelphia 76ers or as one of the most respected coaches of his generation, almost every stop Collins completed throughout his career led to his induction into the Hall of Fame of the 2024 vintage.

Collins had one of his most impressive coaching stints during his two and a half seasons as the Pistons' coach. He led Detroit to its most successful period of the post-Bad Boys era with back-to-back postseason appearances in 1996 and 1997.

Collins finished his tenure as Pistons coach with a record of 121-88. His only All-Star award as a coach came in 1997, which led to a 54-28 record during the 1996-97 season.

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