It was just three weeks ago that Brandon Roy was optimistic about his return to professional basketball, the former Blazer had come to terms with his new role on a young Minnesota team and was ready to put in more work. Now, as he’s sidelined for the next month following an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, Roy admitted that his knees have degenerated to the point where he’s been diagnosed with Level III arthritis. Still, Roy hopes that he can make it back onto the court at some stage this season, despite advice to the contrary.
From The Oregonian :
Not just one doctor, but multiple doctors have told Roy that he should stop playing basketball. His knees are getting worse by the day. By now, at 28, he has had so many surgeries, so many treatments and seen so many doctors, he sounds like a specialist. He explains that he has degenerative arthritis, which erodes and eventually eliminates cartilage, with the same precision and ease that came to define his run of three consecutive All-Star appearances. And with the calm that made him one of the game’s best finishers, he explains that his knees have reached Level III arthritis. There are only four stages.
“Level IV,” Roy says fearlessly, “is when you get a knee replacement.
“I wouldn’t be disappointed either way, if it ends in three weeks, it ends. It’s over. I’m totally satisfied with what I’ve done. I know the sacrifice and the effort that I put into coming back. It took a lot of discipline to get to where I am. That’s all I care about: how hard I’ve worked. So I can’t say I’m disappointed, that would be selfish. I was just a normal player my junior year in college, and everything since has been a major blessing.”