The Official Site of Brandon Roy

Mon, Nov 16th 2009, 12:30

Roy and Joe Johnson bring out the best in each other

When the Trail Blazers and Atlanta Hawks meet tonight at Philips Arena, the similarities between the two teams go beyond their winning streaks. And they go beyond the fact they are among the NBA’s youngest teams, both on the rise.

Leading the teams are two understated stars — Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and Portland’s Brandon Roy — who have forged a rather intense rivalry. Throughout the years, in exhibition and regular-season games, each has found the other brings out the best in him. The resulting competition has produced some memorable moments.

But what makes this matchup even more special is the striking similarities between the two, on and off the court. Both players discovered those parallels during a bus ride in Phoenix last February after the All-Star Game when, fittingly, they were the only participants who didn’t leave with an entourage or head to an after-party.

“After the game, everyone leaves with their entourage,” Roy recalled. “And I’m the only dude leaving the game on the bus. Literally. Like, there’s some assistants and some kids, and then me in the back.
“And then he walks on,” Roy said of Johnson.

Johnson sat across the aisle from Roy, and soon they began to talk.

“He was just kind of laid-back, low-key,” Johnson said. “And that’s exactly how I am.”

For Roy, it was a thrill. He remembered during his senior year of high school being compared to Johnson, well before Johnson found his NBA stride, so he always had a keen eye trained on Johnson’s game.

Meanwhile, Johnson couldn’t help but notice his own game in the up-and-coming Roy, who had won the rookie of the year award and earned two All-Star berths in his first three seasons.

“We play at our own pace, we are not in a rush to do anything, on offense especially,” Johnson said. “We just kind of pick and choose our spots.”

Soon, during their conversation on the bus, they learned they also shared the same values.

Both are image conscious, eschewing tattoos. Both believe that money should be saved rather than wasted on entourages and ostentatious amenities. And both would rather hang in the background than be in the spotlight.

“We talked the whole way back to the hotel,” Roy said. “He was real. Casual. Not really flashy. Not the type that’s going to sit in the front row of the dunk contest. We’re pretty similar that way.”

Johnson said the only thing he previously knew about Roy was that they shared the same agent, Bob Myers. Then on the bus ride, Johnson said he saw himself in Roy, who is three years younger.

“I’m never one to be in the spotlight, I’m always the one sitting in the back, just chillin’,” Johnson said. “I’m not really a rah-rah type of guy, I’m more quiet and reserved. That’s just my nature. He seems that way, too.”

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