As I sat in the Portland Trail Blazers' press room and watched Chauncey Billups answer anodyne questions about if Matisse Thybulle was going to suit up for the Blazers’ home opener, no one had any idea that in 12 hours time he was going to be arrested by the FBI for allegedly serving as a front man for Mafia-controlled high stakes poker games designed to cheat players out of their money.
But hey, that’s the nature of professional sports: It doesn’t matter if you win, you lose, or your coach gets indicted in a massive La Cosa Nostra sting, there’s still a game coming up, an opponent to face, people coming to watch, and you have to be there to make it happen.
Related: Read our coverage of the still-unfolding Chauncey Billups story.
The scene in the arena before fans arrive at an NBA game is interesting. It’s a little like watching people prepare to do a play, but as if everything was blown psychotically out of proportion. The dance teams practice their stuff, home and visiting reporters and PR people exchange information (sportswriters are inveterate gossips), some players take the court and warm up, others stay back in the locker room and shoot the shit. It’s all very intimate, interpersonal, and it’s all happening in the biggest room you can imagine, while gigantic video screens loom over everyone.
Wednesday marked the NBA debut of Yang Hansen, the Blazers’ first round pick from Zibo, China. Yang is the first Chinese player taken in the first round of the NBA draft for more than a decade, and is, therefore, a subject of speculation and wonder in his NBA-crazed home country. There were several Chinese outlets on hand to cover Yang’s debut. Here, ESPN-Tencent NBA reporter Meng Chao is talking with Sean Highkin, the writer and reporter behind The Rose Garden Report. Yang played five primarily uneventful minutes in his debut, but he did manage to send Timberwolves guard Dante DiVincenco to the ground on a hard screen.
Outside, the sun sets and another season of Trail Blazers basketball dawns. Fans arrive, ready for another season. Some of them spoke with me about their Blazer dreams.
“I’m excited to see Yang Hansen. Seeing him play in preseason, dropping a lot of points, making those threes, crazy passes. Great young player, he’s only like 18, 19 years old, so it’s gonna be a great season for him.”
“My biggest dream? I just wanna make it to the playoffs. It’s possible!”
Reggie: I really wanna see the Blazers DESTROY the Timberwolves!
Jackson: I just wanna see the opening day game. I feel like they’re an underrated team.
Reggie: They’re definitely making it to the playoffs.
Mercury: Who are you looking forward to watching this year?
Reggie: Shaedon Sharpe, because he’s going to DUNK on Anthony Edwards tonight.
You know, Anthony Edwards isn’t usually in the lane on defense.
Reggie: He’s still gonna get dunked on.... From the three point line.
Leo: I think we’re ready to make the playoffs this year.
Who’s on your jersey tonight?
Leo: This is Rasheed Wallace. He’s the guy who coined “Ball don’t lie.”
Do you, like Rasheed, have a rebel spirit?
Leo: I kinda do, though.
(Necole shakes her head no)
Necole: He’s a rule follower.
Does he wish he wasn’t a rule follower and he’s wearing a Rasheed jersey to subtextually express that desire?
Necole: Yes. That’s it.
"I’m excited. I think we’re gonna be good. Gonna play a lot of good defense, looking forward to their energy. I love Shaedon’s game. Athletic, runs, shoots well. I like the whole team."
Chris: I’m stoked about it. This team looks good. Very athletic.
Why Nic Batum?
He was just my favorite. I love the Frenchman.
Anna: We bought the tickets for my brother-in-law’s birthday but it’s also our wedding anniversary, so it seemed like a good excuse.
You ditch your brother-in-law?
Anna: Oh no, he’s coming.
How do you feel about the upcoming season?
Anna: I feel pretty excited. I think there will be a morale boost. Even though Dame’s not playing, I think just having him back home is gonna do something for everybody. I think it’s gonna be something good.
You know, it could be something bad. Remember that series where Jrue Holiday smoked him back to front? Could be bad blood we don’t know about.
Anna: I hadn’t thought about that part.
You looking forward to the season?
Jose: Yeah.
Why?
Jose: Good team.
Brittany: He’s visiting from Arizona, I live up here, so we’re taking him to all the sports we can.
David: I’ve been to a Mariners watch party in Seattle…
Which one?
David: Game seven, didn’t go too good. Went to a Seahawks game, that went a little better.
Brittany: Also a Timbers game tonight, but we can’t be in both places.
(I enquire about David’s James Harden jersey, a statement that isn’t always taken kindly in basketball appreciation circles.)
David: I love James Harden, he gets buckets. Think about this: Russell Westbrook went back to play with James Harden, Kevin Durant went back to play with James Harden. I think he’s a big chiller and that rubs some people the wrong way.
Carrie: It’s opening night! Lillard’s gonna be here, right? I think we’ve got some good young talent and we’re heading in the right direction.
Who are you excited to watch this year?
Kaylee: Shaedon Sharpe.
Carrie: Toumani.
Offense. Defense. You need ’em both!
Kaylee: That’s why we’re a good match!
What brings you here tonight?
Helen: What doesn’t bring us here tonight!? Lillard’s back, man! Yang killed it in the preseason! I’m feeling excited but realistic. What I wanna see is some good growth and development, maybe see Lillard come back at some point, even in a coaching role.
(Helen has a British accent, I ask her how she came to join the ranks of the Rip City faithful.)
Helen: I moved here in 2020, which was a weird year to move here. I came to the very first game back after the pandemic. I live over the Steel Bridge, it was right there and I like sport. It was an enjoyable thing to do. Then I just got… a bit excited by Dame Time.
Victoria: I drag her to the Thorns and explain what happens at their games.
Helen: I’m so excited for WNBA! We already got T-Shirts!
Clark: I’m friends with Free Throw Guy, the legendary Portland fan. These are his seats and he gave them to me if I promised to pick up his letterman’s jacket, which they give the season ticket holders every year, and then give it to him when he’s in town next. He has lived in Maui, Hawaii, the last four years and still maintains his season tickets.
How do you feel about the team this year?
Clark: I like the team, I like where they’re going, but I don’t know where the offense is gonna come from. They got a lot of good, athletic players, excited about [Yang Hansen] and I love Camara.
Who are you excited to watch this year?
I’m curious to see Scoot. I think a lot of people are bailing on Scoot too early. I think he’s still got it. I want this on wax: I have a friend who is one of the assistant coaches at Portland State, and before Scoot got hurt he was in the Portland State gym everyday over the summer, just working on his game, working out, he’s got it.
The next Blazers home stand is tonight, October 24, against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Tickets and more info here.
