Dennis Rogers
drogers@vegassummerleague.com
March 13, 2007
The season began with promise for Portland Trail Blazers rookie Brandon Roy. In his first three regular season games as an NBA player, the 6-6, 215-pound guard averaged 18.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 turnover in 38.3 minutes. But in the Blazers fourth game of the season, Roy went down with a heel injury.
The promising start to his NBA career - a start that included a Draft Day trade and a spot on the Vegas Summer League All-Stars list - was put on hold.
For 19 games, Roy, a former Washington Husky, sat on the Blazers' bench nursing his foot and waiting for a chance to get back on the court.
With his foot healed, Roy was ready to get back on the court and show that he had the talent to be listed among this season's top rookies, including Toronto's Andrea Bargnani and Charlotte's Adam Morrison - who have both been debated as Rookie of the Year contenders.
In 38 games back from injury, Roy not only makes the list of great NBA rookies - he tops it. Through 42 games played for head coach Nate McMillan, Roy averages rookie-bests in points (15.9 ppg), assists (4.1) and minutes (34.4). On his own team, Roy is second in scoring (behind Zach Randolph, 23.5 ppg) and assists (behind Jarrett Jack, 5.4 apg). He is also good for 1.19 steals a game.
"I am just staying focused and being aggressive out there," says Roy. "And Coach hasn't told me to stop shooting, so I guess that's a good thing"
The NBA is taking notice of Roy's offensive prowess and has twice named him the Western Conference Rookie of the Month, in addition to sending him to the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge at the league's 2007 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas.
Following the NBA's lead, the media also notes Roy's ROY capabilities. On Mar. 12, and for the second consecutive week, the guard topped John Schuhmann's (nba.com) list in the weekly Rookie Rankings. This after he scored 26 points in the Blazers' 106-87 throttling of the Golden State Warriors on Mar. 11. With 19 of Roy's points, the Blazers fell just short of knocking off perennial Western Conference contender San Antonio on Mar. 6.
Even Roy's peers think he has what it takes to succeed New Orleans' Chris Paul as the Rookie of the Year.
First round pick (eighth overall) and Grizzlies guard Rudy Gay told the Miami Heralds Israel Gutierrez that Roy leads this seasons rookie class.
"If I had a vote, it would definitely be Brandon," Gay told Gutierrez. "He is on his game right now, and he's going to get so much better, so much stronger."
The Blazers are pushing Roy's candidacy for Rookie of the Year. Check out their "My Roy for R.O.Y." campaign at http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/my_roy.html.
Roy's chances to take the rookies' top post-season honor would be helped if his Blazers make the playoffs. While the West's top four playoff spots - belonging to Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio and Utah - are secure, the bottom four could come down to games on Apr. 18.
As of Mar. 12, the Blazers are in 13th place in the Western Conference. But while there are four spots between them and the post-season, the race is tight and positions can shift by one or two spots after any given night.
After the game on Sunday, Warriors head coach Don Nelson noted that Portland is a team on the rise.
"I like Portland," Nelson told reporters after the game. "I liked them even before the season. They are tough to beat now and we knew that. Nate is just doing a great job with this team and they are really starting to mature."
Along with the Blazers' maturity will come Roy's, as well. And no matter where Portland finishes this season, "their Roy" will go down as one of the top rookies in the Class of 2006 and he may even have some new hardware to prove it.