The three-time NBA All-Star was let go as the head of his high alma mater Thursday
One of the best guards in Washington men's basketball history was unexpectedly let go from his current position.
Brandon Roy, a Seattle native who played high school ball at Garfield and his college ball with the Huskies (2002-06) was fired as the Garfield High School boys basketball coach Thursday, according to a story from Seattle Times reporter Jayda Evans. The report was confirmed minutes later by King 5 Sports in Seattle.
Garfield girls basketball coach and former boys basketball assistant under Roy, Roydell Smiley, was also fired, per Evans' report.
Roy has coached the Bulldogs boys basketball program since 2017. He was hired after he led Nathan Hale high school (Seattle) to a state title in the 2016-17 season. He led Garfield to Washington 3A state championships in 2018, '20 and '23. Smiley led the girls program to a state title in '24 and the boys finished third in last season's tournament.
Roy was named the Naismith National High School Coach of the Year after guiding Nathan Hale to a perfect 29-0 record in 2017.
Roy graduated from Garfield in 2002. At the time, he was graded as a four-star recruit and was one of the top high school guards in the country. His jersey (No. 4) was retired by the Bulldogs in 2016.
According to Evans' report, principal Tarance Hart informed parents of the decision via letter. Athletic director Chris Englund, who was hired in May, will oversee the respective coaching searches.
Both Roy and Smiley were unable to comment at the time of Evans' report.
Roy parlayed his high school success into a solid career with the Huskies. During his time with Washington, he helped lead the program to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2004-06. The Huskies made the Sweet Sixteen in '05-06 and won the Pac-10 Tournament championship in '05.
Roy was named a First-Team All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in '06. He averaged 20.2 points per game on 51% shooting from the field (40% from 3-point range), dished 4.1 assists per game and brought in 4.1 rebounds per game. Roy also averaged 1.4 steals a game. His college number (No. 3) was retired by Washington in 2009.
Roy was selected sixth overall in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played in the NBA from 2006-13 with Portland and the Minnesota Timberwolves. He won Rookie of the Year honors in '07 and was a three-time All-Star (2008-10) before injuries derailed what was a promising career.
Roy averaged 18.8 points per game in his NBA career on 46% shooting from the field (35% from beyond the arc). He also averaged 4.3 rebounds per game, 4.7 assists per game and one steal per game.
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