Brandon Roy

Brandon Dawayne Roy Sr. was born on July 23, 1984, in Seattle, Washington. Early in his life, Roy began to take basketball seriously through his involvement with the Amateur Athletic Union. He attended Garfield High School in Seattle, where he was recognized as one of the state’s top high school players. Roy faced academic challenges, including a learning disability, that made his path to college difficult. Despite these hurdles, he successfully met NCAA requirements after multiple attempts at the SAT and enrolled at the University of Washington in 2002.

At the University of Washington, Roy played for four years under Head Coach Lorenzo Romar. He chose American Ethnic Studies as his major. Initially considering entering the NBA Draft after his junior year, Roy decided to stay to enhance his draft prospects and take on a leadership role following his teammates’ decisions to enter the draft. During his senior year in 2005-2006, Roy led the Huskies to a 26–7 season and a second consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance, averaging 20.2 points per game. His collegiate achievements include being named Pac-10 Player of the Year and receiving All-American honors. His number 3 jersey was retired by the University of Washington in 2009. His professional career began in 2006; though drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was immediately traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Roy’s NBA career was marked by significant accomplishments despite being cut short by a degenerative knee condition. He quickly made an impact, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2007. Over his career, he was a three-time NBA All-Star (2008–2010) and earned selections to the All-NBA Second Team in 2009 and the All-NBA Third Team in 2010. After his initial retirement in 2011 due to knee issues, he attempted a comeback with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2012, playing five games before knee surgery ended his season. Post-playing career, Roy successfully transitioned to coaching, leading Nathan Hale High School to a perfect 29–0 record and a Naismith National High School Coach of the Year award in 2017. He also coached at Garfield High School, securing three WIAA 3A State Championships.