Roy prepares to receive NBA call
Brandon Roy said he’s finally ready. The first two times Roy and the NBA draft traveled the same road, Roy wasn’t so sure. But now, there’s no question.
And early in today’s NBA draft, a team will agree with Roy, and make the former Garfield High School and University of Washington star a millionaire.
Roy, a 6-foot-6 guard who was a first-team All-American for the Huskies last season, is expected to be among the first six picks when the draft is held today at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Roy could become the highest-drafted Husky. Milwaukee selected Bob Houbregs with the third pick of the 1953 draft. Last year, the Portland Trail Blazers picked Martell Webster with the sixth pick. Webster committed to Washington out of Seattle Prep High School but never played for the Huskies.
Roy said he’s not worried about when he’s picked, or even by whom. He’s just ready to take his career to the next level.
“Playing in the NBA is something that I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid,” Roy said. “You never know if it’s going to happen. Now that I know I’m definitely going to be picked pretty high, I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen.”
Roy is one of a select number of players who received an invitation to attend the draft in person, but he won’t be the only Husky anxiously waiting to hear his name called. Forward Bobby Jones has also made himself into a near-certain second-round pick because of a strong showing following the completion of his senior year. Jones, Lorenzo Romar’s first recruit to Washington, has worked out for about 10 teams and is valued for his defensive ability.
“I’m pretty confident,” Jones said. “It seems like there’s a lot of teams that are interested in me. It’s exciting to think about getting a chance to be in the NBA.”
If and when Jones and Roy are selected, they would become the first UW teammates to be taken in the same draft since 1987, when Chris Welp was a first-round pick and Phil Zevenbergen was a third-round selection. Roy would be the second straight first-round pick from Washington after Nate Robinson was taken 21st overall by Phoenix and then traded to New York.