Brandon Roy was an electric shooting guard who played for the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2000s. Roy had elite athleticism, while also possessing a high skill level: one of his nicknames during his time with the Portland Trail Blazers was ‘The Natural’. He had a promising start to his career, making three All-Star teams before succumbing to injuries and never being the same again.
One of the people who respect Brandon Roy greatly is the current Portland Trail Blazers superstar guard, Damian Lillard. In a recent video, Damian Lillard stated that Roy would be the greatest Blazer of all-time had he not gotten hurt. The segment starts at 2:20.
The Trail Blazers have come a long way since the time that Roy played, but Damian Lillard is entirely right. Roy looked amazing during the time that he played, and he had many people that were singing his praises. Brandon Roy could score from anywhere on the court, and he looked primed to be a perennial All-Star.
Injuries are a part of the sport, and what happened to Brandon Roy wasn’t his fault. It is very much fun to think about what he could have become: at some point, Kobe Bryant said that Brandon Roy was the most difficult player in the league to defend. Brandon Roy had it all on the court.
It is good to see Lillard pay respect to a Blazer great. While Bill Walton is widely considered to be the greatest Trail Blazer in history due to him leading the team to a title, Damian Lillard is entering that conversation simply due to his numbers and unwavering loyalty to the city.
