Roy stays with Huskies

On a day when the Washington Huskies lost another key part of their men's basketball team, they finally got someone to stay.

Junior swingman Brandon Roy announced this afternoon in a news conference at Edmundson Pavilion that he will return to the Huskies for his senior season.

"I've decided to return to the University of Washington for my senior season," Roy said. "I will not enter the draft."

Roy had investigated leaving for the NBA, or at least declaring for the NBA draft so he could attend a pre-draft camp in Chicago and get evaluated by scouts.

But in the end, Roy decided not to bother with Chicago and simply announce now that he will return for next season.

"The last three or four weeks have been pretty tough for me," Roy said. "But I knew if I came back I wanted to give the team my total attention.

"I'm looking forward to the season, I wish it was October now."

Roy said he talked with his family and coach Lorenzo Romar during the decision-making process, and said disappointing Huskies fans would have made leaving for the NBA difficult.

"The fans have shown me a lot of great appreciation," he said. "I've enjoyed being here, I enjoy the fans."

It's the first bit of good news this off-season for the Huskies, who have already lost one of their star players - Nate Robinson, who is leaving for the NBA - and assistant coach Ken Bone, who was named earlier today as head coach at Portland State.

The Huskies also aren't optimistic that the jewel of their 2005 recruiting class, swingman Martell Webster of Seattle Prep, will enroll. Webster's pro stock has risen in recent weeks due to his play at national high school all-star games and most figure he is headed to the NBA. Many mock drafts have Webster as a lottery pick, and most around UW hold no hope he will come if that remains the case.

The return of Roy, however, will help soften that blow.

Roy is considered the Huskies' best all-around player, which he showed when he scored 25 points in the second game of the season against eventual Sweet 16 team Utah at the Great Alaska Shootout.

But Roy injured his right knee the next night against Oklahoma, and the knee bothered him all season.

He had arthroscopic surgery and missed nine games and had his minutes limited in many other games once he returned, usually serving as the team's sixth man.

Still, he was the team's third-leading scorer at 12.8 points per game, second-leading rebounder at 5.0, was third in assists and led the team in field-goal percentage, shooting 56.5 percent.

Roy said his knee was fine now, and wasn't a factor in his decision not to enter the draft early.

He will likely be a main contender for Pac-10 player of the year next season, as he will be forced to take on a bigger scoring role with seniors Will Conroy, Tre Simmons and Hakeem Rollins gone along with Robinson.

Such a season could set Roy up for a better position in the 2006 NBA draft. It's speculated that the NBA will institute a 20-year age limit for the draft after this season, which could create a better market for graduating seniors.

"Next year I'll want to come out and show them who I am," said Roy, a graduate of Garfield High School.