Ex-Husky All-American Brandon Roy Becomes Nathan Hale Head Coach
SEATTLE -- Former University of Washington All-American guard Brandon Roy is the new head coach at Nathan Hale. With Roy comes the transfers of 2017 five-star strong forward Michael Porter Jr., the No.2 overall prospect in the class according to Rivals, and 2018 four-star power forward Jontay Porter.
The hiring and transfers bring a unique angle to Porter Jr's recruitment, with his father Michael Porter Sr. being named an assistant coach at Washington in May. Once the hiring of his father became official most pundits believe the brothers would be UW bound.
Adding in a Husky legend to coach him in his final year of high school basketball, the hand writing appears to be on the wall for Porter Jr. to inevitably become a Husky like his younger brother.
As a junior Porter Jr. led Father Tolton High School (Columbia, Missouri) to a 26-3 record, the No.113 overall team in the country according to MaxPreps. Nathan Hale, on the other hand, 3-18 overall and 1-14, both at the bottom of the 3A Metro league in Seattle.
The same league that is known for producing several college and professional players like Jamal Crawford (Rainier Beach), Brandon Roy (Garfield), and countless others. The talent will be there for the Porter's to compete against on a weekly basis, with Jaylen Nowell, the No.56 overall prospect in the 2017 class, being one.
Former Washington guard Ryan Appleby, who redshirted his one season spent with Roy during 2004-05, believes it was destined that his former Husky teammate would eventually end up on the sidelines coaching.
"I think it's great," Appleby told Rivals following the announcement of Roy as head coach. "To have a Seattle icon in the basketball community coaching high school basketball is amazing. Brandon was always one of the smartest players I ever played with. He always had a sixth sense on the floor."
That '04-05 Huskies squad finished 29-6 overall and 14-4 in the then Pac-10 conference, finishing second behind Arizona. Washington earned the No.1 seed in the West Region of the 2015 NCAA Tournament, before losing to Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen.