Brandon Roy’s Return to Garfield High
After a nine‑month hiatus, former NBA All‑Star Brandon Roy has been reinstated as the head coach of the boys basketball team at Garfield High School in Seattle. The decision comes nine months after he was dismissed amid allegations involving an NBA agent, a controversy that sparked a swift termination just two days after the accusations surfaced.
Roy, a Garfield alumnus who once led the Bulldogs to multiple state championships, remains a towering figure in Seattle basketball lore. He averaged 19 points as a junior and 22.3 points in his senior year, earned a retired jersey, and later starred at the University of Washington before being selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2006. His NBA career, marked by three All‑Star selections and an 18.8‑point average, was cut short by a degenerative knee condition.
The Allegations That Prompted His Dismissal
The allegations, which centered on a purported improper relationship with an NBA agent, were never proven in court. Roy has consistently denied any wrongdoing, but the school district opted to terminate his employment two days after the claims emerged. The episode left a cloud over his otherwise celebrated tenure.
Roy’s coaching journey began in 2016 at Nathan Hale High, where he engineered a perfect 29‑0 regular‑season record. He returned to his alma mater the following year, guiding Garfield to a state title in 2028. After stepping down during the 2018‑19 season for undisclosed reasons, he resumed coaching in 2019, adding another championship in 2020, and again in 2022, cementing his reputation as a builder of championship programs.
The reinstatement signals a new chapter for both Roy and the Bulldogs, who hope to leverage his winning pedigree and deep community ties as they aim for future titles.