MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The Miami Heat are in Memphis on Friday ahead of their game against the Grizzlies, just one day after the stunning arrest of guard Terry Rozier, who has been linked federally to an illegal sports betting operation.
Members of the Heat organization spoke to the media during their shootaround and offered up their thoughts on Rozier.
“Obviously we can’t comment on the situation, but Terry is someone who is very dear to all of us, a real positive impact on our locker room– staff and players alike,” Head Coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And that includes last year when he wasn’t in the rotation often times. We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.”
Center Bam Adebayo says the team stands behind Rozier with their full support.
“We support him through and through,” Adebayo said. “That’s our brother at the end of the day. It felt kinda weird, him not being here, because he’s usually the first person I get to talk to in the morning. He brings that great energy to our team.”
Forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. said the team had a meeting about the situation and they have his back.
“That’s our brother, I’ve had a lot of time with him. We’ll just see what happens. There’s a lot of stuff we don’t know. We’ll just wait for more information to come out. Our thoughts and prayers with him and his family,” Jaquez said.
Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups was also arrested in a separate but related case involving allegedly rigged poker games.
“The fraud is mind boggling,” FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters. “We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multiyear investigation.”
The alleged fraud, however, paled in comparison to the riches the athletes earned on the court. Billups, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year, had about $106 million in earnings over his 17-year career. Rozier made about $160 million in his stops in Boston, Miami and Charlotte.
Billups and Rozier have been placed on leave from their teams, according to the NBA, which said it is cooperating with authorities.
“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said in a statement.
Hours after his arrest, Rozier appeared in a federal court in Orlando, Florida, wearing a Charlotte Hornets sweatshirt, handcuffs and shackles. Billups appeared before a judge in Portland, Oregon. Both men were ordered released from custody on certain conditions.
The Grizzlies and Heat are set for tipoff at 7 p.m. at FedExForum.
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