3-time NBA All- Star Brandon Roy played six years in the NBA before his career was prematurely cut short due to a degenerative knee condition. Roy was selected six overall in the 2006 NBA draft but his road to the pros was no cakewalk.
Just like his older brother, Ed, Roy had a learning disability, which made reading comprehension extremely difficult. In order to receive his basketball scholarship to the University of Washington, Roy had to pass the SAT.
On his first attempt, Roy failed to pass. His parents hired a lawyer so that the family could receive allowances and grants for Roy’s learning disability. The second time around, Roy was allowed to take the test with a tutor and passed but the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) disallowed the test result as there was too great an improvement from the first try.
By the time Roy went for his third attempt, the school year had already arrived and the basketball season was about to commence. The third test results for the SAT were lost and by now taking the SAT’s for a fourth time would mean he would join the Huskies mid-season.
Ineligible to attend classes or play college basketball, Roy decided to take a part time job at the Seattle docks working as a janitor, cleaning bathrooms and shipping containers for 11 dollars an hour.
With his basketball scholarship at the University of Washington on the line, Roy passed the SAT’s on his fourth try and gained admission to the school. Roy’s collegiate debut was the Husky’s 15th game of the season.
Roy went on to be selected sixth overall by the Portland Trailblazers and won the Rookie of the Year award in 2007. The following year, Roy was selected to the NBA All-Star game and was an NBA All-Star for the next two seasons.
Before the beginning of the 2011-2012 NBA season, Roy was forced to retire because his knees had degenerated so much that he lacked all cartilage between the bones of both knees. He attempted one last comeback in the 2012-2013 season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and played just 5 games before he required season-ending surgery on his right knee.
Whether it be his professional basketball career or in academia, Roy showed great adversity and determination to overcome both his physical ailments and his learning disability.
Athlete Profile: Brandon Roy
Each month the editors at Groundwork pick an inspiring athlete with an amazing story to highlight. This month we choose: Brandon Roy
By Jeremy Hon
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 25, 2014
PHOTOGRAPH BY NWSPORTBEAT.COM
