Super Bowl Update

By Kshell

Former Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Huskies great Brandon Roy is coming out of retirement. Roy has signed a two year deal worth over 10 million dollars to play with the Minnesota Timberwolves the team who actually drafted him in 2006.  For Roy he is hoping to make a splash in the NBA once again like he did with the Blazers. Roy who won the rookie of the year in the 2006-07 season, is a former three-time all-star and has been  all-NBA twice in his career. Roy is going to an upstart Timberwolves team who features good young starts such as Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio. Roy if he returns to form or close to it can lead the Timberwolves to the playoffs. Roy who is averaging 19.0 PPG, 4.7 APG, 4.3 RPG and a full steal a game in his career. However, there is a risk as Roy missed all of last season due to retirement. Roy is a model face for the northwest athletes and there will be plenty of people in Seattle and Portland curious to how he does in his new home. Roy has achieved a lot in his basketball career and some are probably pondering why he is even coming back? Roy has plenty left in the tank and if he is healthy has a ton to offer to a franchise. The Timberwolves haven't made the playoffs since 2004 so hopefully Roy can turn it around for them like he did the Washington Huskies and Portland Trail Blazers.

Brandon Roy is a local product from Garfield High School. As a four-star recruit he chose the Washington Huskies over the Arizona Wildcats. He was the first big time recruit the Huskies landed. For the Huskies Roy led them to the NCAA tournament three times. Roy was honorable mention all Pac-10 as a sophomore and junior when he averaged 12 points a game and five rebounds. He was injured his junior year which was a blessing in disguise as he returned for his senior season. During his senior year for the Huskies he was named first team all-american and Pac-10 player of the year as the Huskies advanced to the sweet 16 for the second straight year. Roy averaged 20.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 4.1 APG. He also chipped in with 0.8 blocks per game and 1.6 steals per game. He shot 50.8% from the field, 40.2% from three point range and made 81.0% of his free throws. After a successful four year career which made him the greatest player in the Lorenzo Romar era still he was then the face of the Washington Huskies. Roy has his number retired for the Huskies as he is the only Romar player to make an NBA all-star game, the only Husky in the Romar era to be named first team all-american and conference player of the year. All that was special as Roy became the 6th pick overall in the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves the team he has agreed to play with now.


The Blazers traded the draft rights of Randy Foye to the Timberwolves for the Washington superstar in Roy. Roy rewarded the Blazers by winning Rookie of the Year.  Roy won the rookie of the year when he averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 4.0 APG. He shot 45.6% from the field while making almost a full three pointer a game. More importantly the Blazers had a "Jail Blazers" image before Roy showed up with the Blazers. Roy made the Blazers winners and during the 2007-08 season his second year in the NBA Roy had made the NBA all-star team as he led the Western Conference in scoring with 18 points on 8-10 shooting in that game. Roy and the Blazers were the new up and coming franchise as Greg Oden was set to make his debut in the 2008-09 season and LaMarcus Aldridge was still developing who was also picked in the same draft with Roy. Roy also was the first Washington Huskies player to win the rookie of the year award. Roy proved the Blazers traded for the steal of the draft as he still is to this date the highest Huskies player picked in the NBA draft in the Romar era. Roy more importantly was poised for a big year for the Blazers in the next two seasons especially during the 2008-09 campaign which most figured the Blazers would use that great season as a launching season for more great things. Come to find out the 2008-09 campaign was the height of Roy's Blazers run with the franchise.


During Roy's third season the Blazers finally returned to the playoffs as Roy made his second straight all-star team and was named second team all NBA that year. During the 2008-09 season Roy averaged 22.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 5.1 APG. He shot 48.0% from the field, made a little over a three pointer a game shooting 37.7% while making 82.4% of his free throws. In the playoffs against the Houston Rockets the Blazers lost in six games but it wasn't Roy's fault as he had a terrific series. During that six game loss Roy averaged 26.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 2.8 APG. He also shot 45.9% from the field, 87.0% from free throws and 47.1% from three point range. Roy was rewarded with a 7 year 84 million dollar deal after that season.  Roy was enjoying another all-star season in 2009-10 where he was named third team all-NBA until he injured one of his knee's forcing him to miss the final 17 games of the season. Roy then missed the Blazers first three playoff games against the Phoenix Suns. As the Blazers trailed the Suns 2-1 in the series they pressed the panic button deciding to play Roy. Roy provided great inspiration as the Blazers beat the Suns in game four to even the series at two games apiece. The Suns would eliminate the Blazers in six games that year as Roy probably should have sat out that series. After that Roy was never quite the same with the Blazers although he provided a great moment in that Blazers comeback win over the Mavericks in game four of the 2011 NBA playoffs.

In short, Roy is going to a division rival which will feel strange when he returns back to the Rose Garden. I expect the Blazers fans to give him a standing ovation as he gave the Blazers everything even sacrificing his own knees. Roy was a class act for the Blazers and their franchise didn't make the playoffs before him and immediately after he retired they missed the playoffs again. Roy is given a second chance for his career and with sitting out that year possibly he can return to his old form. This is a risky contract for the Timberwolves but if Roy resembles anything that he once was this is a bargain deal. Now for fans of the northwest we can finally see our homegrown superstar once again play in the NBA. It doesn't matter if Roy ever makes an all-star game again I'm just happy that is going to go out on his own terms instead of retiring too soon like we had all feared last year.

By Kshell

The Memphis Grizzlies who have made the NBA playoffs the last two seasons selected Tony Wroten from the Washington Huskies with the 25th pick overall in the 2012 NBA draft. Wroten's selection was a historical selection for the Huskies program as Terrence Ross was selected earlier in the day marking the first time in Huskies history they had two first round picks in the same NBA draft. For Lorenzo Romar this is a good day for the program for the future of recruiting. Wroten is the sixth Husky taken in the first round and ninth Husky overall to be drafted in the Romar era. Wroten like Spencer Hawes who was taken 10th in the 2007 NBA draft was only with the Huskies for one season. Also like Hawes, Wroten will have never played in the NCAA tournament. Despite winning the conference regular season title and featuring two future first round picks the Huskies failed to make the NCAA tournament. Wroten along with Ross were both named first team all conference and for Wroten he was the first freshman to be named that in school history. Wroten also won freshman of the year for the conference as he was up for player of the year in the conference.

Tony Wroten Jr has been a legend in the northwest well before he ever landed on U-Dub campus. Wroten's dad Tony Wroten Senior was a tight end on the Don James Rose Bowl teams of the early 1980's. Wroten's cousin Nate Robinson was the first guy selected in the first round for the Huskies in the Romar era. In high school at Garfield High Wroten was the #1 overall player in the nation as a freshman and sophomore. Then he blew out his ACL playing football his junior year missing that entire season. When he committed to the Huskies heading into his senior year he was a four star recruit but after playing he was upgraded to a five star. Then as a freshman for the Huskies in 35 games he came off the bench for his first eight games of the year before starting the final 27 games. Wroten averaged 16.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 3.7 APG. The reason he fell was because he shot only 44.3% from the field, 16.1% on three pointers and 58.3% on free throws with 3.8 turnovers a game. Wroten would make spectacular dunks and drives while breaking your heart with the basics. The Oregon State game summed up his brief Washington career in a nutshell. He carried the team down the stretch scoring 29 points but with the game on the line down by one he missed four straight free throws as the Huskies lost. That game ultimately cost them the NCAA tournament. In the NIT Wroten didn't play well either only averaging 10.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 4.2 APG. Wroten is one of those guys who will make a bigger impact with the Huskies in the NBA as him playing well will give the Huskies program more of a spotlight to hopefully land the next Wroten.

Wroten and Isaiah Thomas were supposed to play together this year but Thomas bolted to the NBA. Thomas fell to the second round only to see himself finish 7th in the NBA rookie of the year voting while being second team all rookie team. Not bad for the last pick in the draft. While Wroten is more talented than Thomas he wasn't quite as polished as Thomas was by the time he left the Huskies. Regardless of how their careers turn out Thomas will have left a mark at Washington while Wroten just wasn't the same. Even Ross who was only here two years at least had his moments in the Pac-10 tournament championship and against UNC in the NCAA tournament. He also came up big on the final four NIT run. With Wroten just like with Hawes you will always feel like there is a huge gaping hole in their UW legacy. Sure they might go onto to be great NBA players but a guy like Jon Brockman who is barely hanging on in the NBA will always have a special spot in Huskies fans hearts over Hawes and Wroten.

From Lorenzo Romar who won Pac-12 coach of the year this was a bittersweet day. First time in school history the Huskies produced two first round picks. So when you win a conference title, have two first round picks plus the coach of the year you would think this was a special year. Instead this team missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008 as they made history being the first BCS conference champion to miss the NCAA tournament. For Ross, every UW fan expected him to go as he was ready and Romar even acknowledged that. For Wroten you are disappointed as he left with major unfinished business. This draft was loaded while next year is supposed to be extremely weak meaning had he stayed another year he'd be a top 10 pick which means more money later on. Plus you'd think after the way his Pac-12 career ended with the miss free throws against Oregon State and then his season ended shooting 4-16 with zero assists in the NIT overtime loss to Minnesota he would have came back. I won't vault someone for wanting to be a millionaire this year but the program will be hurting. With Wroten the Huskies would have been the conference favorites instead they'll be lucky to make the NIT.

So this day was historical for the Huskies and hopefully Romar can turn this history into landing some major recruits. After seeing Wroten and Hawes though should we even be excited to land these one and done type of talents? Sure they look good as they add to your NBA alumni status but far as the program goes both years were huge letdowns. For Wroten though he is going to a good team who has made the playoffs the last two seasons. He can learn how to be a team player as he fits in to find his niche. After a while hopefully he cuts down on his turnovers, improves his free throw shooting and developes something that resembles a jumper so he can be a successful guy who lasts in the NBA. Wroten was a wonderful talent and there was no freshman I enjoyed watching more than him as he "Wow'd!" me so many times. At the end of the day with Wroten you will always feel like there was something more he could have given this program. The reality is his best gift can be notority so the Huskies can land the next big time recruit and this time hope that guy can do what Hawes and Wroten couldn't do. Hopefully that guy can finally lead UW to the promise land until then we'll always wonder what could have 2013 been with Wroten as a sophomore and Ross as a junior. At least they made Huskies history right?