Roy goes coast-to-coast, watches draft stock soar

Before, it was easy to wonder if it was all just mindless speculation, idle chatter on the Web and on the court.

Now that he's living it, flying from city to city to work out for and meet with NBA coaches and executives, it finally all seems real to Brandon Roy.

"A year ago I was a second-round pick," he said a few days ago, referring to the time last spring when he thought about leaving Washington a year early to declare for the NBA draft.

"Then [earlier this season] I was a late first-round pick. Now that's over, I'm a top-five pick. It's just incredible. It shows how much difference a year can make."

Indeed, as the run-up continues to the draft June 28 in New York, Roy is among the hottest movers.

Word this week is that the Chicago Bulls are seriously considering taking Roy with the No. 2 pick, and he also says he has gotten intense interest from Charlotte (No. 3) and Portland (No. 4).

In fact, few draft experts think Roy will drop any lower than the Blazers. Portland is coached by Nate McMillan, who first became familiar with Roy's game while coach of the Sonics. The Blazers' roster also includes Martell Webster, a fellow Seattle native and good friend.

Roy has individual workouts scheduled with all three teams this month — Portland on June 15 (when he is scheduled to be joined by Gonzaga's Adam Morrison), Chicago on June 17 and Charlotte on June 20. He also has a workout scheduled with Minnesota (No. 6) on June 18. Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey is thought to be a big fan of Roy since his time as a Sonics assistant.

Roy has already been to Charlotte once, for a scheduled workout last Friday. But his flight from Los Angeles — where he has spent much of his time working out with other players also represented by Arn Tellem — arrived after midnight. By the next morning, he felt a little out of it and after he participated in a few agility drills, it was decided to postpone the full-fledged workout.

Still, Roy was there long enough to have a close encounter with a most interesting name — UConn forward Rudy Gay, with whom Roy got into a brief staredown during Washington's Sweet 16 game in March, resulting in a turning-point technical foul on Roy.

They hadn't seen each other since that night in Washington, D.C.

"Someone said to us, 'Are you guys going to kiss and make up?' " Roy said with a laugh.

Eventually, he said, that's essentially what they did.

"At first, [Gay] didn't know how I was going to react," Roy said. "But I said, 'What's up.' He said, 'What's up,' and we had a real cool conversation. We didn't really talk about [the incident], we just talked about the game and how crazy it was. I'm sure he has his side of what happened and I have mine, and we just left it there."

Roy is in Seattle for a few days before going to the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando. Unlike teammate Bobby Jones, who is playing in games there already, Roy will merely conduct a few interviews and drills, the norm for prospective lottery picks.

While here, he has been working out with some former teammates and one notable Husky-to-be — incoming freshman center Spencer Hawes.

Tuesday, Roy said Hawes joined him as he ran through a workout designed for perimeter players.

"We just did all guard stuff," Roy said. "I wish we would have had him last year."

But that might be Roy's only regret these days.

He looks back on the last couple of seasons, including his knee injury as a junior that ultimately forced him to return as a senior, and thinks it was all meant to be.

Having to take a supporting role as a junior let teammates Nate Robinson (now with the Knicks), Will Conroy (set for a tryout with the Spurs) and Tre Simmons (scheduled to attend a summer camp with the Phoenix Suns) shine. Then it became his turn.

"It all paid off," Roy said. "It's just all really exciting right now."

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com