Former Washington Huskies guard and NBA All-Star Brandon Roy has been relieved of his duties as head boys' basketball coach at Garfield High School in Seattle -- a position he's held since 2017. Roy is an alumni of Garfield and had his No. 4 jersey retired there. He coached the Bulldogs to 3A state championships in 2018, 2020, and 2023.
The decision was announced via a newsletter written by the school's principal, Tarance Hart, sent out to parents last week. Garfield also released girls' basketball coach Roydell Smiley, who was previously one of Roy's assistants.
“We are beginning a new chapter as we reset both programs, building on past successes while continuing to grow opportunities for our student-athletes — academically, socially, and athletically,” Hart wrote. “Our goal is to foster a competitive, academically supportive, and welcoming program that provides a positive experience and meaningful opportunities for all students.”
The move is surprising considering Roy's impact on local basketball and recent success with the program, as well as how close the decision was made to the start of the season. After winning a state championship in 2023, Roy led successful campaigns in 2024 and 2025: combining for a 41-18 record across those two seasons.
Roy also helped attract young, local talent to the Seattle public school and help develop them into players that received high-major college scholarships. UConn's Jaylin Stewart, former Washington Husky Koren Johnson, and current Houston Rocket Tari Eason are all notable players who went through Garfield and were under Roy's tutelage.
Now, newly-hired Garfield athletic director Chris Englund will be in charge of finding new coaches for both the the boys' and girls' teams with only about a month until the season starts.
Roy is a hometown legend, the face of a basketball city that has produced some of the most top-level talents in the sport. Unlike other Seattle basketball standouts like Jamal Crawford, Paolo Banchero, and Zach Lavine, Roy decided to stay home for college and attended the University of Washington.
As a Husky, Roy played four seasons and helped lead Washington to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2005 and 2006. He was the Pac-10 Player of the Year and consensus All-American First Team selection in 2006, as well. Arguably the most iconic basketball player to don the Husky uniform, his No. 3 hangs in the rafters at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
In the NBA, Roy played six seasons and was a three-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire at just 28 after losing most of the cartilage in his knees, becoming one of the biggest "what-ifs" in NBA history.
Perhaps a return to UW as an assistant coach is in the cards for Roy? Head coach Danny Sprinkle has a spot open on his bench after assistant Tony Bland left for Kansas in August. Roy has maintained his ties to the university after graduating, and his son, Brandon Roy Jr. (also a Garfield alum), was a 2025 commit to the Huskies and is listed on the roster for the upcoming season.
The fit seems to make perfect sense, and his presence on the team could be exciting for a Washington basketball program trying to revive itself after years of mediocrity.