Portland Trail Blazers: What if Brandon Roy didn’t have to retire early due to injury?
Rob Ryan
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Once upon a time, the Portland Trail Blazers had a dynamic guard on the verge of superstardom. Unfortunately, injuries curtailed a promising career. What if those injuries didn’t force Brandon Roy into early retirement?
“You take the blue pill… the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want. You take the red pill… you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” – Morpheus from the Matrix. In our second red pill installment, we ask, What if knee injuries didn’t kill the career of Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy?
Numbers don’t lie
Drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2006 draft, nobody would have guessed how outstanding Brandon Roy was by the end of his four-year rookie contract. Roy was the 2006-07 Rookie of the Year, followed by three straight All-Star appearances and two All-NBA selections.
If not for a torn meniscus in Game 80 of the 2009-10 season, a 91-88 win over the arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers, we might still be watching the man who I think would have possibly become the best Portland Trail Blazers player ever. Roy tried to come back from the injury but never looked the same again. But during those first four years, Roy exceeded all expectations. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.6 boards, and 5.0 assists per game.
Changed the Team
Nicknamed “The Natural,” Roy entered the NBA as a 6′ 6″ shooting guard. The original clutch performer, he did the job years before Damian Lillard arrived in Rip City. He wasn’t just a late-game sniper either; Roy was someone the team rallied around all game. A true leader who showed his chops early.
In his rookie season, Roy challenged veteran Zach Randolph in a post-game situation. After a loss, Randolph was berating the team, but Roy stuck up for his teammates. He pointed out that the team loses together and wins together and that Zach himself wasn’t above criticism.
This moment might have been the true shift from the Jail Blazers era to a new era with new leadership in the locker room. The Blazers’ new culture focused on unity and effort. An unselfish player, Roy would often start games slow, attempting to get other players involved. If that plan wasn’t working, you’d gradually begin to see Brandon take over games on offense.