Yesterday the Portland Trail Blazers introduced new Head Coach Chauncey Billups in a press conference led by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey. The event carried the burden of answering concerns over a civil lawsuit Billups settled in 2000 regarding an accusation of sexual assault in 1997, when he was a rookie with the Boston Celtics. Both members of the wider Blazers community and media members had expressed concern over the hiring. The organization understood that questions were coming.
Billlups and Olshey addressed the matter during their opening remarks, but shut down further inquiries by the media, leading to frustration and consternation among many observers.