Citing family reasons, Billups pulls out of consideration for Beijing

By Ric Bucher
ESPN The Magazine

Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups will not play for Team USA in this summer's Beijing Olympics because of personal family issues.

Billups contacted Team USA director Jerry Colangelo on Tuesday and notified him of his decision.

"It's a matter of what you want to do and what you need to do," said Billups, who declined to be more specific about the family matter prompting his withdrawal from the team. "Winning a gold medal is the one thing that I haven't accomplished, and I was looking forward to standing up on that big stage. That's what I really wanted. But I was taught family comes first, above anything else."

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