Brandon Roy Returns to the NBA After Putting Career on ‘Pause’

Brandon Roy had his introductory press conference today as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Roy says that he didn’t retire as was widely reported; no, his career was apparently just on “pause“. From the Star Tribune: “It was never really officially my decision to retire,’ he said. ‘You know, the process in Portland, I met with the team doctor and we talked for a while. We have a really good relationship. He’s been the guy who worked with me for five years, with my knees. I went in for my physical, and he said he thought it would be in my best interests to stop playing basketball.’ Roy’s point was that Portland was driving the train when it came to the decision. After five seasons with the Blazers, because of the chronic knee problems, the Blazers used the amnesty clause on the remainder of his contract with the team. In retrospect, missing last season’s condensed post-lockout schedule might have been the best thing for Roy. Here’s more Roy: ‘For me it was never, ‘I’m retired,’ he said. ‘I knew, with my knees, I’d have to decide whether I wanted to continue playing. And just after a few months of sitting out, I decided, ‘Hey, I don’t want to stop playing basketball.’ It was never a situation where I said, ‘I’m done forever.’ It’s just more of a pause.’ So Roy rested, then started working out. When that went well, he had the Regokine treatment on his knees, the same treatment Kobe Bryant had. ‘I’m not saying I’m Kobe Bryant, but my body felt really good,’ he said. ‘I’ve been working out ever since, and there hasn’t’ been any swelling. I’m excited to get it done. The main reason for doing it was I wanted to play. I wanted to play.’ […] It took a while, but he finally made it to Minnesota. But here’s another question: can he be great again? ‘Yeah, that’s the goal,’ he said. ‘That’s the goal. That’s the whole reason I’m coming back. I told David (Kahn, the Wolves’ president of basketball operations) when we met. I said, ‘I wouldn’t be coming back if I didn’t think I could reach a high level of basketball.’ You say great, I just call it high level. I want to play at a high level. And, right now, my body is giving me all the signs that I can do that.'”