The Seattle basketball legend and three-time NBA All-Star Brandon Roy is returning as head coach of the boys’ basketball team at Garfield High School. His reappointment will take place for the 2026–2027 season, less than a year after he was fired. Roy confirmed the news himself on Instagram by reposting an email from Garfield High School director Tarans Hart addressed to students and staff. An official announcement about his return will be made at a press conference on Thursday.
Roy’s firing in September 2025 came suddenly—just three weeks after the school year began. For nearly six months, neither the school nor the city’s Department of Education commented on the reasons. It wasn’t until March 2026 that The Seattle Times found the trigger: a claim that Roy was involved in a player-tampering scheme. The report alleged that he worked with an NBA agent who offered a student money, a car, and an apartment in exchange for the player’s move to Garfield. Roy categorically denies the allegations, but he was fired two days after issuing a written denial.
At 41, Roy is one of the most accomplished basketball players to come out of Seattle. He led Garfield’s program to three state championship titles, and he was named Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and NBA Rookie of the Year. At Thursday’s press conference, Roy is expected to discuss his plans for his return and comment on the events of the past year.
Based on: Brandon Roy to return as Garfield boys basketball coach less than a year after firing