Brandon Roy was an exceptional basketball player. He was perhaps one who didn’t get the recognition that he deserved. Indeed, he only had a short career in the NBA due to the injuries that he had picked up. However, while he only spent six years in the league, he made his own impact on the court. He was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2007 and managed to be a three-time All-Star between 2008 and 2010. Roy earned the nickname “The Natural” for his scoring ability, being effective from all areas of the court.
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If it were not for the series of knee injuries that he had suffered, requiring multiple surgeries, it’s possible he could have been a bigger star than he was. He would be forced to retire after one season with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2012, playing in just five games for the franchise after his initial retirement a year earlier.
Still, it appears he did enough to earn the respect of one of the NBA’s greatest in Kobe Bryant. During their heyday, ‘Black Mamba’ was asked about his toughest opponent on the court, which led to the guard citing Roy.
Speaking on the John Thompson Show in 2010, Kobe said, “Roy 365 days, seven days a week. Roy has no weaknesses in his game.”
The devastating end to an extraordinary career did not take away the love Roy had for basketball, though. After his NBA career ended, he turned his sights to high school coaching and did exceptionally well. He even coached Michael Porter Jr.
But in 2017, Roy was a victim of a violent shooting. He was reportedly shot twice while he was outside his grandmother’s house.
At the moment of the shooting, Roy showed immediate concern for the welfare of the children around him, as it was reported he was wounded while shielding several children, including his niece.
Recalling the horrifying moment, Roy said, “It was crazy to look down at my leg and my sweats had holes in them. I just couldn’t believe I was shot. It’s scary. I thought about my kids the whole time.”
Speaking about it, he revealed he had moved back to Washington State, citing how his perspective on life had effectively been changed as a result of the shooting.
He revealed, “When I got shot, there was so much that fell through the cracks. So much was going on. I wasn’t out of it. I just wanted to be around my kids and didn’t want to talk about it, but [the shooting] was always [mentioned].
Since then, Roy has moved back to Garfield. His desire to move back was ignited after he visited his grandmother. Her advice made him see how much he wanted to be in the city and coach even though his experience in Nathan Hale had been rewarding.
The 3-time All-Star has overcome so much in his life. From an injury that ended an NBA career that would likely have taken him to superstar realm to being a victim of gun violence, Roy has faced overwhelming obstacles. But even then, he remains steadfast, honoring his love for basketball and dedicating his time to developing young players.
