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Brandon Roy

retired
Brandon Roy profile
Drafted #6 in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Trailblazers
RCSI: 47 (2002)
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
Weight: 207 lbs (94 kg)
Position: SG
High School: Garfield High School (Washington)
Hometown: Seattle, WA
AAU: Team Yes
College: Washington
Current Team: Washington
Win - Loss: 17 - 15

Articles

NBA Scouting Reports, Northwest Division (Part Three)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Matt Williams
Matt Williams
Sep 16, 2008, 05:14 pm
Overview:One of the most versatile and talented young players in the NBA these days, and clearly a cornerstone of Portland’s franchise. Has good size for the shooting guard position, and an average wingspan, but often acts as a de facto point guard thanks to his ball-handling skills and outstanding court vision. Extremely smooth player who can get up around the basket, but isn’t an athletic freak like some of his all-star counterparts. Can do it all pretty much offensively, and is extremely efficient to boot. Strong rebounder for a guard and a terrific decision maker. Fills up the stat-sheet on a nightly basis. Very difficult to take off the court. Possesses fantastic intangibles both on and off the court. Has had a variety of injury problems throughout his career, which is the only thing that might hamper him from developing into one of the NBA’s marquee guards.

Offense: Scores in a variety of ways and is highly adept at creating for himself and others off the dribble. Smooth, skilled, fundamentally sound, and effortless in everything he does. Plays shooting guard for Portland but acts as their primary ball-handler in the half-court. Terrific pick and roll player with impeccable timing, ball-handling skills and patience. Sees the entire floor and has a knack for making the best decision possible. Highly unselfish and extremely creative. Possesses a very smooth shooting stroke with range that extends out to the NBA arc, but is clearly at his best in the mid-range area, where he’s extremely effective pulling up off the dribble. Still working on the consistency of his 3-point shot, but appears to be capable of making shots with his feet set. Can also create his own shot extremely well. Uses his excellent timing, ability to change gears and strong hesitation moves (rather than an incredible first step) to get by his defender at will, and gets to the free throw line at a very nice rate. Drives left or right equally well, and does an outstanding job of limiting his turnovers relative to the amount of possessions he uses. Also has a bit of a post-up game—very crafty here and knows how to use his body effectively. About as versatile as they come, and exactly the type of player you want with the ball in his hands making decisions.

Defense: A bit lackadaisical at times defensively, possibly due to the amount of responsibility he’s forced to shoulder on the other end, as well as the heavy amount of minutes he plays. Has great size at close to 6-7 in shoes, albeit an average wingspan (6-8), and is smart and athletic enough to make a solid impact here when he puts his mind to it. Knows how to get down in a fundamental stance and contain his matchup, but doesn’t always have the length to contest every shot. Adding a bit of strength could help him, as he’s susceptible to being bumped off his spot and isn’t quite always physical enough to fight back when being posted up. Has really nice timing, knows the scouting report and can make things difficult when it’s time to buck down and get a stop. Contributes on the glass as well.

NBA Pre-Draft Camp Media Day (Part One)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Jonathan Watters
Jonathan Watters
Jun 10, 2006, 10:23 pm
Reporter: Bobby Jones was at the pre-draft camp, having played against him and practiced for four years…he’s really made an impression defensively. What kind of player was he like to play and practice against?

Brandon Roy: For me that was a pleasure for me to have. Bobby Jones is 6-7, he can guard point guards and small forwards. Just his ability to make me change shots, and cut me off…it helped make me a better player. So when I go up against other players now in games and workouts, guys who are trying to shut me down, I went up against one of the best players in the country so I know that it can’t get much harder than that. Playing against him definitely helped prepare me because we played together all summer, he pushed me and I pushed him, so I think that helped me a lot. Everybody says that Bobby is doing great from what I hear. He seems to be playing his best basketball at the best time of his life, so I am definitely happy for him.

Reporter: What is your routine working out?

Brandon Roy: We work out at 9 AM, 9-11. We have lunch, take a nap, then come back from 6-8. We do lots of shooting, some skill stuff, not too much competition. In the morning it’s a little bit more physical, little more playing. Basically just getting ready for the draft, a lot of on ball stuff, pick and roll things, a lot of the things we’ll see in camps so that way when you go into a workout you won’t be like ‘ah, I never worked on that’.

Reporter: Everyone talks about your well rounded game…how would you describe it?

Brandon Roy: I would describe it as trying to do whatever it takes to help the team win. That’s what I’ve always done. At times I’ve had to do things posting up, I don’t mind playing with my back to the basket, and sometimes coach would ask me to handle the ball. I think that over the course of my career, I always wanted to do those things at a high level, so I kept working on my ball-handling, posting up, guarding different players, trying to be all-around and complete…especially in this draft.

Reporter: Some people are saying that you may be a point, and that might be your best position. How do you see yourself?

Brandon Roy: I don’t want to say that I am going to be just a point guard, because I think I can go off the ball and score too. The best label for me would be a combo guard, I think that if you point guard next to me I can still make plays from the wing, and if you put a big-time scorer next to me I can get him the ball, get the bigs the ball. So I think that’s the best part of my game, I am not just a point or just a shooting guard, I can do both.

Jonathan Givony: What happened in the Charlotte workout a week ago with Rudy Gay?

Brandon Roy: The Charlotte workout…everything got messed up. My flight got delayed from Seattle. I got into the airport in Charlotte at 10:30…I got to the hotel at around 12 and I didn’t get any room service that night. Waking up in the morning around 7, it was 4 Seattle time…I was really just jet-lagged. I felt like I was in the middle of the night. I went through the testing and all that…at the end of it I was fatigued, so I talked to Bernie and he understood…we even talked about pushing the workout a little bit with me coming in from the west coast with our time being three hours behind. He understood and I think he wants me to come back later this month…I think he understood and hopefully next time we’ll be better prepared. It was no big deal on their side I think.

Jonathan Givony: So you did the entire workout?

Brandon Roy: No, I just did the agility stuff and things like that.

Jonathan Givony: 15 minutes?

Brandon Roy: No, Charlotte’s is pretty long. About 40 minutes or so it lasted.

Jonathan Givony: Did you do any competitive stuff with Rudy Gay?

Brandon Roy: No, we didn’t get anything competitive in. I think he’ll be in Portland this Thursday with Adam [Morrison]…so that should be a pretty good workout.

Jonathan Givony: Was it disappointing not to be able to do a competitive workout with Rudy in Charlotte considering that they have the #3 pick?

Brandon Roy: More than anything I was more upset that I wasn’t able to do the workout. Talking with Bernie, I think their biggest thing is they don’t care who you work out with, that’s not a big deal to them…they just want to see you get in and do the work done. It’s really weird because the workouts I’ve seen the competitive stuff only lasts 20 minutes, so it’s really hard to judge how guys compete in that amount of time. I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to do the workout…not that Rudy was there or Adam was going to be there. It was just the fact that I wasn’t able to complete it because I was so drained. It was more of that than knowing that Rudy was there.

Jonathan Givony: How did the physicals go today…did everything check out OK as far as the knee is concerned?

Brandon Roy: Yeah, everything is great. I didn’t get back any numbers or anything, but no one said anything so I think everything is pretty good so far.

Reporter: How concerned are you with your knee?

Brandon Roy: Oh, I’m not concerned at all. I think the knee was an issue last year because I tried to come back so early because I wanted to come back and help my team out. Once the season ended my knee was 100%, I didn’t miss any games or practices so I didn’t worry about it at all.

Reporter: A lot of guys have chosen to work out individually, with no competition…why have you chosen to work out competitively?

Brandon Roy: Well that’s my game. I don’t even really like 2 on 2, I wish we could play in 5 on 5 settings. I think people would get more out of me if they saw me make plays off the dribble, create for others, come off the ball and things like that. To go up in an individual workout I think I’ll be fine, but I think I can do better against competition to show people how I can defend and things like that.

Jonathan Givony: How many workouts have you had so far?

Brandon Roy: Actually I only worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers. That was the only one I had. I worked out for them since I was in LA at the time. My agent knew I was going up to Charlotte so he wanted to get a prep workout in. It was a good workout… just to see how they were ran.

Jonathan Givony: What happened with Houston?

Brandon Roy: Houston I had an emergency. And I’ve been saying…at the same time my agent wasn’t too sure he wanted me to go into Houston. We kind of talked about it, and with Houston we thought about rescheduling for a later date. From everything we’re hearing with my agent, we are between 1 through 6. So maybe Houston will try to move up, who knows, but he wanted to see at a later date to see if I go back and workout for them.

Jonathan Givony: How many teams are you going to end up working out for?

Brandon Roy: In the end I think I will do 5. Chicago, Portland, Minnesota, Charlotte again, and maybe Houston. Houston at the end of the month, 24th I think.

Jonathan Givony: No Toronto?

Brandon Roy: No, no Toronto.

Reporter: Do you feel like this is an important week for you, just because you are starting to work out for teams?

Brandon Roy: It’s exciting, Portland is right there, and they are saying that they are very interested, so I want to go in there and play well. Then you have Chicago following, and people are saying that Chicago is considering drafting a wing player. So its going to be a big week. Minnesota is coming up, but at the same time I am excited, but I have to stay ready, stay ready for anything. Just have fun, its basketball, just go out there and have fun, compete against these guys.

Reporter: When do you do Chicago?

Brandon Roy: 17th. Saturday, I think…Portland’s Thursday.

Jonathan Givony: Is this something you imagined last year, you weren’t sure whether to enter the draft or not. It seems like your stock was in MAYBE first round, IF you did good in workouts. Is this something you imagined last year, being in this room, with all these lottery guys…is this surprising to you?

Brandon Roy: I think its something that I always imagined. That’s why I always tried to stay patient, last year and the year before, it wouldn’t have been like this. After coming back this season, I wouldn’t have been able to be in the same company with all these lottery guys. That’s something I’ve always wanted, and now I’m here. I’m excited.

Reporter: Who do you think is the best player in the draft?

Brandon Roy: You mean besides myself? [laughs] I always think that I am the best player. Not to be cocky or anything like that. I think all these guys are great players, but I believe in myself more than anybody.

Reporter: So you said you heard Portland is interested in you?

Brandon Roy: Yeah [laughs]…They are pretty interested. [laughs]

Jonathan Givony: What about Coach Romar…what has his role been in getting you to where you are right now?

Brandon Roy: Its been huge. I think over my four years, he’s helped develop me not only as a player, but as a leader on the floor. So I think his role has been tremendous, especially this last season. He’s put me in so many positions on the floor to do well…I think it’s definitely helped me a lot. You know him being a player’s coach, and him understanding what players go through…and him knowing how to put me in situations to be able to score, and be able to make plays for your teammates.

Jonathan Givony: How do you think UW is going to be next year?

Brandon Roy: I think they are going to be pretty good. I think they are going to be young. I think they’ll do well, I think they’ll have their bumps in the road, and how they handle them is going to determine how good they do. A lot of freshman stepped up for us big time this year and now they have that experience. And hopefully they continue to be successful.

NCAA Tournament: NBA Draft Stock Watch (Sweet Sixteen, Friday games)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Mar 25, 2006, 03:35 am
In the final game of his college career Roy displayed the variety of skills he used all season long to lead his team to the Sweet 16.

He displayed his awesome slashing ability early in the game, getting the ball in the hoop over the much taller front court players of UConn. Roy also showed his very impressive passing ability and court vision on his drives to the hoop. His knack for finding the open man will certainly help him at the next level. Though he was solid on defense, especially defending Rudy Gay, Roy found himself in foul trouble in the second half after a verbal confrontation between him and Gay lead to a double technical foul. In college, a technical foul also counts as a personal foul, so Roy found himself relinquished to the bench with 13:39 to go in the game.

His value to Washington was never more evident than the time he spent on the bench during the second half. When Roy exited the game, his team had a comfortable 53-45 lead. In the minutes that followed, Connecticut went on a 10-2 run and tied the game at 55. Roy returned with 6 minutes in the game, and made some key free throws in the final minute of the game. He couldn’t do enough in overtime, however, and fouled out of his final collegiate game after being forced to send Marcus Williams to the free throw line with under 30 seconds remaining to stop him from getting a breakaway layup and icing the game for the Huskies. What was most disappointing about his exit was the fact that Roy and the Huskies were clearly robbed of a perfectly legal field goal in a clutch moment in overtime that almost certainly would have changed the outcome of the game, without even going into the conspicuous disparity between the two teams at the free throw line and the questionable technical foul for his altercation with Rudy Gay. A beautiful tear-drop by Roy was blatantly blocked on its way down by Hilton Armstrong in a clear goaltending violation that was obvious to every person watching the game except the oblivious men in stripes.

Brandon Roy proved tonight regardless why he is one of the best players in the nation, and why he will hear his name called out early from the green room on draft night. He has great ability to get to the hoop in combination with a smooth shooting stroke. Roy is also a very good defender, and has a great understanding of the game. He might be the player closest to a sure thing on draft night, and though he lacks the upside that some other players may have, Roy will be ready to contribute in the NBA from day one.

NCAA Tournament: Stock Watch (round of 32, Saturday games)-- Stock UP

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Watters
Jonathan Watters
Mar 19, 2006, 03:35 am
Brandon Roy has been a regular fixture in our "Weekly Top Performers" articles, and it was more of the same from the senior in Washington's gutsy win over Illinois this afternoon. He did almost everything that could be asked of a player, whether it was handling the ball, slicing apart defenses in the patient way that he does, or playing tough defense against multiple positions. Best of all, he came up huge in the clutch once again.

Like we have seen from Roy all season, his 21 points weren't of the "loud" variety. Aside from an occasional slash to the basket, Roy was content to sit back and run the offense. He scored most of his points from the free throw line, and never really took over offensively. He was quiet for much of the second half, as Illinois made their run. With the Illini up eight and threatening to pull away completely, you could see that assertive light go on. Roy began attacking the basket relentlessly, usually finding an open teammate after drawing the defense. It was Roy's beautiful slashing layin that tied the game with 3:26 to play.

If Roy was being looked at as a potential star at the next level, the fact that he only took 11 shots might be a little disturbing. However, today's performance just shows how effective Roy is going to be in a supporting role for an NBA team. He doesn't need a lot of shots to be effective, and actually appears more comfortable fitting into the flow of his team's offense.

A likely matchup with Connecticut looms, and Lorenzo Romar will likely need a heroic effort from his senior to advance.

NCAA Tournament: Washington Bracket NBA Draft Prospects

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Landry Fields
Landry Fields
Mar 12, 2006, 10:51 pm
While Brandon Roy has received his rightful due with plenty of First Team All-America honors, it appears that he is still operating under the radar a bit. Make no mistake about it, Brandon Roy is one the most complete players in the nation. He breaks down defenses off the dribble, handles the ball, hits the outside jumper, and defends four positions. What NBA scouts will be looking for in this tournament from Roy is that ability to take over, something that he has shown from time to time in Pac-10 play. He still appears content to blend in with his teammates in most situations, so a couple of big time scoring performances on the biggest of stages would probably cement his status as a legitimate lottery caliber prospect for this June's draft. With a 2nd round matchup against Illinois looming, Roy certainly has his work cut out for him.

Brandon Roy NBA Draft Scouting Report

Mar 05, 2006, 07:29 pm
Strengths
There is a lot to talk about here. While Brandon Roy has always been talented, it wasn’t until his senior season that he put everything together and became a legitimate star. 2006 has been a truly breakout season for Roy, and he has become one of the most well-rounded (perhaps the most well-rounded) and versatile players in the country.

Roy’s main weapon, and the aspect of his game that has kept scouts intrigued over the years, is his ability to create off the dribble. His smooth, patient manner of breaking defenses down is nearly impossible to deal with on the college level. He has a nice first step and usually has no trouble getting a shoulder past his defender. Once he gets that step, defenses are in trouble. Roy can slash all the way to the basket or find his teammates as well as any player in the country.

Roy has a beautiful midrange pull-up jumper. He is able to nail the traditional, jumpstop 15 footer with ease. As he gets closer to the basket, that textbook shot becomes more of a one-handed floater that is almost impossible to block. At the rim, Roy finishes creatively, and in a variety of ways. He is very aware of where the shot blockers are and will hang in the air, switch hands, or reverse angles to get a shot off.

Of course, what makes Roy really dangerous is the fact that he almost never forces these slashing moves. He is patient enough that when he sees help defense closing in, he immediately looks to find the open man - even if he’s already in the air or his teammate isn’t within his peripheral vision. For this reason, he is averaging over 4 assists per game on the season, and has a sparkling 1.8-1 Ast/TO ratio.

There is even some question as to whether Roy might be able to play a bit of PG on the next level. His court vision is first rate, and he has a calm, collected presence with the ball in his hands. Roy rarely commits turnovers or makes mistakes in creating situations.
The silky smooth way in which he picks apart defenses is undeniably effective.

The old knock on Brandon Roy was his suspect outside shot. He has always been able to make a difference closer to the basket, but what NBA team wants a shooting guard that whose effectiveness is limited to within 15 feet of the hoop?

Roy is a much better shooter this season, adding range well past the college 3-point line (35% on 20 attempts last season, 39% on 78 attempts so far this season). This has really opened up his game. Where he was once a very nice complementary player, he is now a feared go-to scoring force. Roy will always get the ball in clutch situations for the Huskies and has come through with big plays on numerous occasions, whether it is a contested outside jumper or a beautiful look to a teammate.

Another aspect of Roy’s offensive game that has to be discussed is his ability to post up. He is very comfortable taking smaller guards into the paint and backing them down. Once again, we see Roy’s excellent court awareness come into play. If help approaches, he will locate the open man and deliver the ball. If allowed to continue backing down his man, he is more than capable of turning and elevating for a turnaround J.

On offense, we see a player that can do almost everything. Whether it is handling the ball, creating for teammates, creating his own shot, or hitting the perimeter J, Roy is capable.

On defense, we see this same versatility. Roy has guarded four positions very effectively throughout his career, and is just as comfortable checking a point guard as he is a wing. His most notable defensive exploit this season was probably locking up UCLA PG Jordan Farmar, forcing the sophomore into one of his worst games of the season (2-13 shooting, 7 TO’s).

In the end, Brandon Roy is such an effective player because there really aren’t any weaknesses in his game. While he is certainly the go-to scorer for Lorenzo Romar this season, he is just as comfortable blending in and getting his teammates open looks. Roy hasn’t taken 20 shots in a game since December, and has only passed that mark twice all season. Roy is a physical rebounder (nearly 6 per game), an on-court leader, and an efficient shooter (50% from the floor, 80% from the line).

While it has taken him four seasons to get here, the question now must be asked: what’s not to like about Brandon Roy?


Weaknesses
If we have to pinpoint a weakness in Roy’s game, it might be the lack of a standout trait that he can bank on at the next level. While Roy is certainly spectacular off the dribble, he doesn’t have that “blow-by” explosiveness or “dunk contest” leaping ability of a star NBA wing. He has the ability to handle the ball and create for his teammates, but he probably won’t be playing full-time PG in the NBA.

For this reason, Roy may project as a “consummate roleplayer” type at the next level, as opposed to a full out star.

While Roy’s range has improved, he can still work on making his 3-point shot a more consistent part of his repertoire. Roy still doesn’t look to shoot the longball very often, and that will likely have to change at the next level.

In addition, while Roy’s ability to blend in to his team’s offense is definitely a positive, sometimes his play borders on passive. Washington has relied on Roy as a go-to scorer all season, but there are times when he is too willing to let other players dominate the ball. This is far from a major gripe, as he likely will be playing a complimentary role in the NBA, but he certainly could take over a bit more often at the NCAA level.

The biggest issue for Roy has to do with his bad knee, which has bothered him for quite some time now. It really hampered him early last season, and a couple of surgeries may have robbed him of a bit of explosiveness. While Roy probably isn’t in the same category of a Kennedy Winston, you can bet that his knee will get lots of attention from NBA teams.


Competition
Brandon Roy plays in the Pac-10, a league long-regarded as one of the nation’s finest, but one that has been considered “down” over the past several seasons. With Washington’s eight game win streak to end the season and Roy’s impressive individual numbers, expect him to take home the Pac-10 Player of the Year honors.

Roy’s career as a Husky got a late start, after academic issues and amateurism questions by the NCAA held him out well into January of his freshman season (2003). He still managed to play a significant role, and showed flashes of stardom down the stretch. Averaged 6.1 ppg and 2.9 rpg, while 50% from the floor in 17.2 mpg.

2004 saw the Huskies return to the NCAA Tournament, on the backs of a 4 guard lineup consisting of Will Conroy, Nate Robinson, Roy, and Bobby Jones. Roy once again showed flashes, but it was Robinson that emerged as a go-to presence down the stretch. On the season, Roy averaged 12.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, and shot 48% from the floor in 30.3 mpg.

After averaging 24 ppg in his first two games as a junior, Roy tore the meniscus in his left knee. He missed 9 games in total, and never fully regained his starting role. Despite players like Robinson and Tre Simmons emerging as the go-to scorers, Roy managed to remain productive. He shot 56.5% from the field, and averaged 12.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 2.2 apg in just 24.2 mpg. Roy averaged 15.3 ppg in three NCAA Tournament games.

With scorers Robinson and Simmons and playmaker Conroy gone, Roy has emerged as Washington’s do-everything star in 2006. He began Pac-10 play with a bang, scoring 35 points in back to back games against the Arizona schools. His clutch efforts against Arizona ended up coming in defeat, but his overall performance should be recognized as one of the top individual showings of the season.

Roy has improved his 3-point shooting (38.5%) significantly, and has come through in the clutch time after time. The Huskies are currently the Pac-10’s hottest team, winners of eight in a row, and now project to earn a top 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Roy is a likely First Team All-American, and is currently averaging 19.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, and 1.3 spg while shooting 50.5% from the floor in 31.2 mpg.


Outlook
Nobody has improved their draft stock more than Brandon Roy in 2006. Where injuries and talent around him have held him back in the past, Roy has now emerged as one of the top all-around players in the country. There is very little he doesn’t do, whether it is creating his own shot, finding his teammates for open looks, defending just about any position, and showing up in the clutch when his team needs him most. His smooth, calm style of play makes him both effective and efficient. While Roy will need to prove that his knee is fully healed, he looks like one of the top wing prospects in the draft. He might not have the star potential that many younger prospects do, but Brandon Roy is a proven commodity and is perfectly suited to be a complementary type of starter at the NBA level. A selection in the mid to late lottery is very possible, as long as the knee checks out.

Facts
Roy very easily could have ended up somewhere other than Washington, after the coach that recruited him, Bob Bender, was fired. He originally picked the Huskies over Arizona and Gonzaga. He ended up declaring for the NBA Draft, taking advantage of a new rule that gave high schoolers the option to withdraw from the draft.

Roy ended up doing just that, and then decided to stick with new coach Lorenzo Romar at Washington. He then had academic and eligibility hurdles to overcome, but finally suited up for the Huskies on January 19.

In Case You Missed It...the Top Weekly Performers, 2/13-2/20

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Feb 21, 2006, 03:47 am
Brandon Roy's recent streak of great play has reached a new high with his near triple-double in Saturday's 96-63 rout of Oregon State. Roy has been stuffing the stat sheet with his versatility all season long, with this impressive line coming in only 31 minutes of playing time.

This game, as much of this season has been, was a showcase of Roy's tremendous versatility. Roy's excellent slashing ability was on full display as he used his combination of strength, athleticism, quickness, balance, and creativity to get into the lane and score nearly at will. He used a vast array of spin moves and floaters to get to the line and put the ball in the hole, always keeping his balance to ensure a high-percentage shot. But that's not the only way Roy was scoring. While Roy did go 0-for-3 from behind the arc in this game, he did make use of his mid-range jump shot and post-up game to put some points on the board. Roy's key weakness coming into this season was his ability to hit the long ball, though he has improved his three-point percentage to a respectable 39% this year, although only on 67 attempts.

Roy's contributions in this game went far beyond scoring, though. As Roy has improved his scoring ability and taken on a greater role in Washington's offense, he has used the added attention he receives from defenses to help set up his teammates. His court awareness is superb and he uses it to often create easy shots for himself and others. In this game, Roy frequently drew defenses to himself by penetrating or posting up, then found an opening and dished the ball to a teammate for an open shot. Roy also spent brief stretches playing point guard, taking the ball up the court and initiating the offense, looking very comfortable doing so, as he has all season.

Roy is very active on the boards, as he was in this game with eight rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end. Roy is much stronger than his size would suggest, and he uses his strength and instincts to constantly grab rebounds and make tip-ins on the offensive end. Defensively, Roy was impressive as usual, excelling in both man-to-man and team defense, with his excellent fundamentals and strong weakside awareness on full display.

If Roy continues to play at the level he's been at for the past few games, he's going to be heavily mentioned in draft lottery talks, if he isn't already. In the NBA, he possesses the strength, quickness, and ability to effectively play and defend PG, SG, or SF. His great versatility will allow him to fit into the rotation of any team or any style of play, as he really has no holes in his game other than an occasional tendency to play passively. While Roy is good at many things, he arguably is great at none, which takes away from his star potential. But that said, he is the prototypical "glue" player and possesses all of the intangibles that coaches and teammates love. Roy is one of those players every coach loves to have in that he works hard, plays smart, and can really do anything you ask of him. As some on our official message board have pointed out, his game reminds of Manu Ginobili in many aspects.

The only major concern with Roy is a past knee injury that had to be surgically repaired. Roy's surgery came in November of 2004, during his junior season, when he underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus. He has fully recovered this season and looks in no way hindered by the surgeries, but it is always something to keep in mind that he is playing on a surgically-repaired knee.

In Case You Missed It...the Top Weekly Performers, 12/26-1/03

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Jan 03, 2006, 04:41 am
Brandon Roy's NBA saga began 3 1/2 years ago, when he declared for the draft as an unprepared high school senior. Somewhere along the way Roy got some good advice, and wisely pulled his name out of the draft. His career at Washington has featured plenty of spectacular flashes, but Roy's ascent to stardom had been held in check by injuries and the emergence of several teammates. Roy has always displayed an intriguing all-around game, but had nearly always done his job in the shadows, never putting up the type of numbers that attract attention from the professional ranks.

Fast forward 4 seasons to Saturday's game against Arizona, when the kid that thought he was good enough to play in the NBA as a teenager finally proved to the world that he was league-ready. On his way to his second 35 point performance of the week, Roy showed off improved range on his jumper, and a devastating ability to both score and find his teammates off the dribble. Roy hit a contested 3-pointer to send the game into overtime, and then bested himself with a step-through, body-contorted miracle to extend the game yet again. It wasn't until he fouled out in the 2nd overtime period that Arizona was able to pull out a victory.

DraftExpress has been waiting for Brandon Roy to assert himself as a star for years, and that finally took place this past week. Roy is more than just a scorer, as he creates well for himself in the midrange, but also finds his teammates at the rim for easy looks. In the Arizona classic, Roy also finished with 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Much like Adams, the knock on Roy has always been his jumper. To be honest, he lost his touch in this one midway through the second half. By the time he regained it, he was having to fire off desperation 3-pointers to extend a game that Washington had once led by double digits. Nonetheless, it does appear that Brandon Roy's outside shot has improved.

If Roy is able to continue hitting at a consistent clip from the outside, there is very little to dislike about his game. He isn't a freak athlete, but his advanced scoring game and ability to create should make him a prized commodity this June.

Top 15 NBA Draft Prospects in the Pac-10

Oct 19, 2005, 03:09 pm
Roy is in a similar situation as Hassan Adams in that he’s a physically superior wing with a perimeter game that is still a work in progress. He also has been forced to wait for more accomplished teammates to move on, and has suffered a few injury setbacks. Barring another injury, Roy should be Lorenzo Romar’s new star. He has the athleticism, length, developed body, and slashing ability to break out. The area to keep an eye on with Roy is his suspect outside shot. If he can improve his perimeter shooting, and as long as the red flags on his knee don’t turn too many GMs away, a first round selection could be awaiting him this June.

Checking Tourney Stock at the Sweet 16, part 1

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mar 25, 2005, 05:27 am
A player who might be feeling a bit overlooked by us this season, I've heard a lot about what a terrific prospect he is, but have yet to see it really come to play in the Washington games I've seen this year. Tonight I finally got to see what others like so much about this kid, and I have to say that I was impressed, although not overwhelmed. With UW's top two scorers in foul trouble for most of the night, he really didn't have much of a choice.

Roy has an NBA body and the athleticism to match it, that's pretty much indisputable, but he also showed off a nice handle and excellent slashing game to keep his team in the game tonight. He had some very nice athletic moves to work his way to the basket and finish strong at the basket, and he was being very aggressive on both ends of the court. He played some pretty good defense on Garcia at times when UW was in a man to man and still in the game, but ticky-tack fouls and some poor decisions eventually sent him to the bench with 4 fouls with four minutes to go. Roy is thinking of throwing his name into the draft and is hoping to get an invite to Chicago to show off his stuff for people like me who aren't familiar enough with his game. Even though he has the physical attributes of an NBA SG, he'll probably be told to go back to school for another year and improve his perimeter shooting if he wants to leave school as a first round pick. He's a very intriguing player, though, and definitely someone to look out for next year.

Draft prospects in the Albuquerque bracket

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mar 14, 2005, 04:09 am
Brandon Roy made a lot of scouts laugh when he tried to declare out of high school, but those same scouts are probably very interested in Roy 3 years later. Despite some injury struggles, it's hard not to notice Roy out there on the floor. He has a very complete floor game, and is very good at getting in the air and creating. He's got great size at 6'6 with long arms, and very few wings out there can put the ball on the floor and produce like Roy. While he has a nice midrange jumper, his outside shot is still in need of work. If he comes back next year, stays healthy, and starts hitting the 3, he will become a household name by the time the 2006 draft rolls around.