Brandon Roy

Brandon Roy

Brandon Dawayne Roy (born July 23, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Roy previously played for the Portland Trail Blazers for five seasons. He was selected sixth in the 2006 NBA Draft, having completed four years playing for the Washington Huskies. In 2009, he served as the team's co-captain, along with LaMarcus Aldridge. His nickname was "B-Roy", but he was also referred to as "The Natural" by announcer Brian Wheeler. On December 10, 2011, Roy announced his retirement from basketball due to a degenerative knee condition, though in 2012, he decided to return to the NBA.

Born in Seattle, Washington, Roy became known for his immediate impact on the Trail Blazers. Zach Randolph, then the team captain, was traded to the New York Knicks at the end of Roy's first season, which cleared the way for Roy to take on a leadership role on the team. Though hampered by an injured ankle, Roy won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award for 2006–07 in a near-unanimous vote. He played 57 games as a rookie and averaged 16.8 points per game in the 2006–07 season. He was selected as a reserve to the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, and the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. Roy played the most minutes of any Western Conference player, and tied for the most points in the West in the 2008 game, and he played the most minutes of any player during the 2009 game.