Ben Golliver at Blazers Edge chronicled Brandon Roy’s recent comments regarding a possible comeback this week, and I can’t help but read those soundbytes and hope for the best. Unfortunately, with respect to a return to the game he once played as well as anybody in the League, I fear the worst for Brandon. I’m not sure a comeback is possible at this point, but Roy did say when asked that he feels he could always come back at somepoint anyways. Hopefully he’s right and I’m wrong.
Those comments from Roy via Ben Golliver at Blazers Edge:
“The thing about the situation that I’m in is that I can always come back if I choose to. Having that option is always a good thing for me. I’ve been in the gym working out with Tony Wroten and you just find out how fast you miss the game. “In the back of my mind, maybe this is something I may do again. But who knows? It’s something right now where I’m enjoying playing and not playing with the pain I had last year after going through two knee surgeries. I was never the fastest or the highest leaper but being smart — those are all little things I have up my sleeve if I do decide to play, those are all positives I do have going for me.”
In a SLAM Online Interview I did with Roy’s close friend Jamal Crawford in late March, Jamal told me the following in regards to the possibility of Brandon Roy returning at somepoint:
For Brandon, I think he’s enjoying not having the pressure of being an athlete, especially at the level he was playing at every single night, and I think he’s enjoying that part of it. He doesn’t have to be Brandon Roy every single night, he can just be a guy hanging out with his family.
I also think Brandon still loves to play basketball, though. We were working out before the season started, and Brandon looked like that three-time All-Star. If you walked into the gym and didn’t think about his knee injury, you’d say, “OK, I see why he’s a three-time All-Star.” So when he had his physical, the news just caught all of us off guard because he was playing so well.
Jamal followed that up this week by reiterating those same points on KJR radio in Seattle (this also via Blazers Edge):
“Like I said last summer heading into the season, if you had not known anything with his knee injuries, and he just walked in the gym and you saw him play, you would say, ‘OK, I see why he’s a three-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year and all that.’ I think even now we’ve been playing. He’s got me in the gym earlier than I want to be in the gym. I wanted to take some time off. But he’s back playing so I’m like, ‘Alright i’m out there with you.’ We’ve been playing and he’s looked just as good as he did before the season started last summer. Actually I think he’s in better shape now than he was. It’s amazing how things work out. I think he’s just enjoying it right now and seeing the potential of possibilities of what can happen in the future.
I wish I could follow this all up by saying I expect Brandon to make a triumphant return to the NBA next season. Brandon Roy in his prime was as pure a pleasure as any NBA fan could ever hope to watch on the basketball court. I just don’t think that comeback is possible. If it were, I think Roy would still be playing right now. He’s never lacked drive, motivation, desire, or love for the game. The only thing he lacks these days is health, which I fear will ultimately prevent his return. If there’s anybody who could overcome what he’d have to overcome to get back on the floor though, it’s Brandon Roy.
