Roy would have a rosy future with the Blazers

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, May 30, 2006

One scouting report on Brandon Roy said he’s solid in all areas, but not spectacular.

I don’t know about that.

The University of Washington guard looked pretty spectacular to me in his senior year.

He looked pretty spectacular in the NCAA Tournament, right up to the point where he and UConn’s Rudy Gay got into a testosterone-fueled tiff, resulting in an official T’ing them both up and getting Roy into instant foul trouble.

He looked pretty spectacular to me when he dropped 35 on Arizona, including a couple of acrobatic 3-pointers to toss the game into both overtime and double overtime.

He looked pretty spectacular to me in his junior year, when, despite a damaged knee, he shut down North Carolina State star Julius Hodge.

I don’t know how anyone can win the award for Pac-10 Player of the Year, along with being an AP All-America first-teamer, and not be pretty spectacular.

But take scouting reports for whatever they’re worth.

Brandon Roy is about to make a ton of money come the NBA Draft on June 28. The projections are that he’ll average about $2.6 million a year in his first contract.

He deserves every penny.

Indications are that the Portland Trail Blazers will choose Roy with the fourth pick in the draft. There, he will join an interesting backcourt cast that includes point guards Steve Blake, Jarrett Jack and Sebastian Telfair. He’ll likely learn under 10-year veteran Voshon Lenard, a lights-out shooter who does little else on the court, and Juan Dixon, a fourth-year guy, a good shooter, but whose build is so slender that he could hide behind a rake. Also residing there is Martell Webster, a buddy of Roy’s and a UW recruit who instead went into the NBA straight out of Seattle Prep.

In other words, Roy has a chance to contribute right away.

As is the case with most lottery teams, the Blazers don’t have much going for them. In Roy’s favor is the close proximity to his native Seattle. But the biggest benefit is his prospective coach, Nate McMillan.

A disciplinarian in the mold of Roy’s UW coach, Lorenzo Romar, McMillan couldn’t be a more ideal teacher for Roy on the subject of NBA guard play.

In turn, Roy can do much for McMillan.

In his first year as the Blazers head coach, McMillan inherited more than his share of head cases, malcontents and villians who ended the season with a record of 21-61. Although owner Paul Allen money-whipped him into ending his long association with the Seattle Sonics, McMillan likely spent much of his paycheck on aspirin to fight off the headaches his team gave him all season.

Roy won’t contribute to McMillan’s suffering.

Roy plays the game the right way, as Romar repeatedly said. He’s a provider. He’s unselfish. He can score and defend. He was the best all-around player in college last season. He boosted his game to a startling level in his senior year and, faced with competing against better players in the future, figures to make even greater improvements to his already impressive game.

But most of all, Roy already brings a professional attitude to a team that desperately needs it. Roy cares only about winning. Romar always called him a provider. He gives the team whatever it needs, whether it’s defense, rebounding, passing, scoring or anything else. And Roy has the skills to do all of it.

In Roy, McMillan must see himself. Although McMillan could only dream about Roy’s talent, they both share a white-hot passion to compete and a vigorous respect for the game.

It’s a great fit.

McMillan needs Roy and Roy needs McMillan.

Here’s hoping for a long and healthy alliance.