Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Brandon Roy Describes Circumstances of April Shooting

Scott Polacek

Former Portland Trail Blazers and University of Washington guard Brandon Roy offered his first public comments after he was shot on April 29. 

"It was crazy to look down at my leg and my sweats had holes in them," Roy said, per Jayda Evans of the Seattle Times. "I just couldn't believe I was shot. It's scary. I thought about my kids the whole time."

Evans noted in her Wednesday story the incident occurred at a family gathering in Compton, California, and is still under investigation. The shooting "left bullet wounds in his lower right leg and lower butt cheeks on the right and left side."

Roy played for the Trail Blazers for five seasons and was the 2006-07 Rookie of the Year and an All-Star three times as a high-volume scorer on the wing who averaged 18.8 points per game in his career. His last season came in 2012-13 on the Minnesota Timberwolves, but only after injuries cost him much of his prime.

He eventually transitioned into coaching following his NBA career, and Evans noted Roy led Nathan Hale High School to the Class 3A state championship in Washington in March but is now coaching at Garfield High School.

The shooting apparently helped lead to his decision to move to Garfield—his alma mater—after the school's previous coach, Ed Haskins, became an assistant at Washington State.

"As much as I love Garfield, I thought it was cool to start something at Nathan Hale and grow," Roy said. "There was so much turnover, then I got shot and after that, I was visiting with my (maternal) grandmother and she said if Garfield is where you think you want to be, you've got to go for it."

The move was particularly notable because Garfield lost to Hale in the state title game.

   

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