PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy was chosen as the NBA's Rookie of the Year on Wednesday after leading all rookies with averages of 16.8 points, 4.0 assists and 35.4 minutes in 57 games.
Roy received 127 out of a possible 128 first-place votes (638 points) for the award, known as the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters.
Toronto's Andrea Bargnani finished second with 264 points and Memphis' Rudy Gay was third with 93 points.
"It's rare to see a rookie step in, assume a leadership role and become a go-to guy as Brandon did this past season," Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan said in a statement. "Brandon is a phenomenal young talent and has a chance to become a very special player in this league."
Roy was the Pacific-10 Conference's Player of the Year his senior season at Washington. He was drafted with the sixth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, then traded to Portland for the draft rights to Randy Foye.
The 6-foot-6, 229-pound guard was named the West's Rookie of the Month in January, February and March. He also made the All-Star game's rookie squad. He scored at least 20 points 16 times, including a career-high 29 against Utah on April 4.
The Blazers aggressively marketed "Roy Wonder." T-shirts were emblazoned with the words "My Roy for R.O.Y." The kickoff for the campaign, appropriately, was held in Roy, Ore.
In his NBA debut Nov. 1 in his hometown of Seattle, Roy scored 20 points. He followed that up with a 19-point game at Golden State.
But heel problems kept him out of 20 games early in the season. An MRI revealed an impingement in his left heel bone but no major damage. As a precaution, he wore a protective boot for a couple of weeks until an MRI and a CT scan showed improvement.
Shortly after his return, he had his first career double-double, with 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists against Toronto on Dec. 22.
Roy is the third Trail Blazer to the award, joining Geoff Petrie (1970-71) and Sidney Wicks (1971-72).
Roy received 127 out of a possible 128 first-place votes (638 points) for the award, known as the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters.
Toronto's Andrea Bargnani finished second with 264 points and Memphis' Rudy Gay was third with 93 points.
"It's rare to see a rookie step in, assume a leadership role and become a go-to guy as Brandon did this past season," Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan said in a statement. "Brandon is a phenomenal young talent and has a chance to become a very special player in this league."
Roy was the Pacific-10 Conference's Player of the Year his senior season at Washington. He was drafted with the sixth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, then traded to Portland for the draft rights to Randy Foye.
The 6-foot-6, 229-pound guard was named the West's Rookie of the Month in January, February and March. He also made the All-Star game's rookie squad. He scored at least 20 points 16 times, including a career-high 29 against Utah on April 4.
The Blazers aggressively marketed "Roy Wonder." T-shirts were emblazoned with the words "My Roy for R.O.Y." The kickoff for the campaign, appropriately, was held in Roy, Ore.
In his NBA debut Nov. 1 in his hometown of Seattle, Roy scored 20 points. He followed that up with a 19-point game at Golden State.
But heel problems kept him out of 20 games early in the season. An MRI revealed an impingement in his left heel bone but no major damage. As a precaution, he wore a protective boot for a couple of weeks until an MRI and a CT scan showed improvement.
Shortly after his return, he had his first career double-double, with 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists against Toronto on Dec. 22.
Roy is the third Trail Blazer to the award, joining Geoff Petrie (1970-71) and Sidney Wicks (1971-72).
