NBA All-Star and Denver native Chauncey Billups announced his involvement and support of the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy on March 1, 2006.

"I have watched as L.P. (Lonnie Porter) and his daughter, Staci Porter­Bentley, have built the leadership academy at Regis and I'm impressed with the impact it is having on kids in the Denver area," Billups said. "I am excited to have the opportunity to work with Coach and Staci to help ensure a bright future for the academy."

Billups noted that his involvement in the academy, which is now named the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy at Regis University, will be to help endow the program to ensure its long-term viability. He has personally made a $100,000 gift to the academy and will work with Porter to attract other gifts.

"Staci and I are very excited to have Chauncey become involved with the academy," Porter said. "His commitment to inner city kids mirrors what we are trying to accomplish with the academy. I have known Chauncey since he was at George Washington High School. He is a quality person and I have great respect for him and his parents, Ray and Faye."

Porter added that Billups involvement is effective immediately. Billups has been actively involved in this weekend's golf tournament at Cherry Creek Country Club on Monday, July 10, 2006 that will benefit the academy endowment fund. Billups on-site involvement in the three-week summer academy is still being worked out because of the NBA playoffs and Chauncey's busy schedule. In 2005, the Leadership Academy enrolled 120 students. Students do not pay to attend the academy. Funds are now raised each year to cover the costs of the academy. The endowment, as it grows, will reduce the need for the annual fund raising effort.

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