Brandon Roy walked into the crowded Seattle gym with the basketball reputation most collegians could only dream of. But the young Roy was still just 16. Shy yet confident, he was always respectful and keenly aware of his surroundings. When he started to play, the entire gym stopped to watch because people knew they were about to witness something very special. Roy had that affect on people.
In the 2000s, no gym in Seattle featured more talent than St. Joseph's. Local boys who made it big; Jamal Crawford, Terrence Williams, Martell Webster, Marvin Williams, Nate Robinson, Aaron Brooks and Roy all frequented St. Joe's gym. On any given night, you could have six or seven future NBA players playing like it was the NBA Finals. Having been a backup guard on an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team alongside Roy, I had the good fortune of seeing him firsthand long before most. Trust me when I tell you, there is nobody like him.
The 27-year-old -- who just last week retired due to degenerative knees -- developed into an All-American at Washington after spurning offers from elite programs. He didn't want to go to a nationally-known program; he wanted make his hometown Huskies a premier program.
"I could see going to another place like Arizona or Kansas," Roy told the Seattle P-I in October 2002, "but I think we can do the same thing at the U-Dub. We can be as good as those programs in a year or two."
When he couldn't qualify academically, he worked at a container company in West Seattle to earn extra cash, followed by study sessions and hoop workouts at St. Joe's. While most kids would shy away from the public due to embarrassment, Roy embraced the challenge. When I would ask him how things were going, he smiled and told me he how he refused to give up until he got into school.
Eventually, Roy did just that. After leading UW to three straight NCAA Tournament bids and two Sweet 16 appearances, Portland acquired him in a trade with Minnesota after he was selected sixth overall in the 2006 NBA Draft. With grace and elegance, he quickly became one of the best guards in the league, earning Rookie of the Year and All-NBA honors with equal parts dazzle and clutch play, including a barrage of game-winning shots. In a span of four years, Roy averaged 20 points, 5 assists and nearly five rebounds, while making three All-Star games and leading the organization to four consecutive playoff appearances. He helped transform it from the embarrassing "Jailblazer" days to good-guy team. He was a splendid playmaker, selfless passer and gifted scorer. His grace on the floor was undeniable. The Blazers in turn, rewarded him with a robust five-year, $82 million contract. Back home in Seattle for the offseason, he organized charity games around the city and at his high school. Roy was a bona fide superstar.
But with the exception of the size of his bank account and his general celebrity, nothing about Roy had changed. To the people that knew him as a skinny high school kid, he was still affectionately, just Brandon.
But, in an instant, his knees began to hurt, and then really hurt. After surgery following a collision with Ron Artest in the 2010 playoffs, Roy began to show signs of slowing down. No longer did he have the same burst or explosion. Always a cerebral player, Roy was still effective as a pull-up shooter and passer, but the dynamic ability on the ball had vanquished. During the 2011 season, he played in just 47 games. He looked tired and at times even sad on the court. Eventually, after operating on his knees six times, doctors told him he had zero knee cartilage left; his joints didn't work the way they once did. They told him if he continued to play, he may lose his ability to walk down the road. Under much emotion and duress, Brandon Roy was forced into retirement.
For a Portland Trailblazer fan base that has long endured injuries to marquee players like Bill Walton and Greg Oden, the news is simply more disappointment. Roy was a fan favorite, highly respected on the floor, in the locker room and beloved in the community. But for those fortunate enough to know him before he was synonymous with NBA greatness, the news of his retirement evokes tremendous sadness and sympathy.
In a league that is constantly criticized for buffoonery, Roy was a revelation. Soft spoken, kind-hearted and immensely talented, his legacy should live on even if his knees cannot. With one of the greatest fourth quarter performances in playoff history, it most definitely will.
There is simply nobody like him.
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