Seattle basketball legend Brandon Roy, who played for the Washington Huskies and Portland Trail Blazers, was in attendance at Rise Above’s 10-year celebration. The event, honoring a decade of empowering Native youth through basketball and cultural education, is held.
The Night Seattle Booed Brandon Roy
A dramatic game against the Seattle SuperSonics punctuated Roy‘s debut season with the Blazers, the team he watched and idolized growing up.
A Sweet 16 run just months earlier, with Husky fans showering him with support, left a lasting memory of his UW days.
“The first time in my life I was ever booed by Seattle fans was during my rookie year, when we played the Seattle SuperSonics in my very first NBA game,” Roy recalled with a smile. “I always cherish that moment — it felt like a coming-home party.”
The night began well with a warm welcome. The fans in KeyArena applauded their hometown hero as his name was repeated during the introduction of the starting lineup. Emotions changed as the game progressed.
“By the third quarter, I started playing well, and for the first time in my life, I was booed by Seattle fans,” Roy said. “I totally understood it — in a way, it was a cool moment. That’s when it hit me: ‘Wow, I’m really a Blazer now.”
A Passing of the Guard
The highlight of Roy’s game was his late pick-and-roll, which drifted to the elbow, faded, and sank the shot. He saw it as symbolic – a handover between generations of Seattle basketball talent.
“It felt like a passing of the guard,” Roy reflected. “It was one of my coolest moments, having my opening game back home in Seattle. Really, a great memory — especially going up against guys I looked up to like Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.”
The Sonics, who had Allen and Lewis as two All-Stars, remained a dominant team in the Western Conference. Sharing the court with players he used to study and admire was surreal for Roy – a moment of validation and motivation.
From Husky Legend to NBA All-Star
Roy’s path to that opening night was a part of Seattle basketball legends. He became a recognizable figure in the community at the University of Washington, leading the Huskies to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and becoming one of the program’s all-time greats after being a Garfield High School star.
Roy quickly became the face of the Trail Blazers franchise after being drafted sixth overall in 2006. He was known for being one of the league’s most clutch performers and earned three All-Star selections and the 2007 Rookie of the Year Award over six NBA seasons.
As a fan favorite in Portland and respected across the league, he was able to control the game’s tempo while delivering in pressure moments.
A Moment That Still Resonates
The boos from that debut are no longer painful; instead, they inspire. That journey, which few athletes experience in such a dramatic manner, represents Roy’s transformation from beloved hometown college star.
“At the time, it was different,” he said. “You go from everybody cheering for you to realizing you’re wearing the other team’s jersey. But I appreciated it. It meant I had arrived.”
During the Rise Above celebration, Roy’s story served as a reminder of the significant basketball heritage in Seattle.
The city is proud of its players, even when they wear the opponent’s colors. KeyArena’s fans were treated to more than just a basketball game that night. The debut of a hometown hero turned rival, who still holds the city’s hoops legacy in his heart, was a historic moment.
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