By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Brandon Roy, former NBA star and former Garfield High School boys basketball head coach, is returning to his alma mater as the Bulldogs’ head coach after he was removed from the position following allegations of recruiting violations. Roy’s dismissal drew significant scrutiny from the community after Seattle Public Schools released few details about the decision.
Following an investigation by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), Roy was cleared of any wrongdoing. According to Garfield High School Principal Dr. Tarance Hart, all evidence submitted in support of the allegations was ultimately found to be unsubstantiated.
“I want everybody to know that the allegations were completely false, but I am understanding that there had to be a process of the school district and Garfield working through that process,” Roy said. “The only thing I would have wished was to still be allowed to coach as that process was going on.”
The controversy began in spring 2025, when Auburn Mountainview High School contacted Garfield with concerns that a student-athlete may have been improperly recruited. In June, Hart reported the allegations to the WIAA, prompting the organization to launch an investigation.
Auburn Mountainview later filed an official complaint with the WIAA in September. Roy’s position as Garfield’s boys basketball coach was terminated Sept. 24, 2025. At the time of his dismissal, Hart told Roy he could reapply for the position if he chose to do so.
Related Article: After Months of Questions, Brandon Roy and Garfield Leaders Reflect on a Difficult Chapter
“Because of those allegations, the decision was made to pause and open the position up, giving Brandon the right to reapply if he chose to do so,” Hart said. “The invitation to reapply was legitimate, it wasn’t just for the sake of the letter that he received. We wanted him to consider reapplying.”
In fall 2025, Seattle Public Schools sent an email to Garfield families announcing the departures of Roy and former girls basketball coach Roydell Smiley. Roy, who had two children attending Garfield at the time, said he learned of his dismissal through that email.
“I was clear on the investigation that was going on, we spoke about the investigation a couple of times, but I didn’t know that that was going to be in the email that day,” Roy said. “When the email came through, I was reading it, and it said the girls and boys coaches, I was like, hold on, I read that wrong. But that’s how I found out through the parent email.”
The email also stated that Garfield would be entering a new chapter by resetting its basketball programs with a renewed focus on supporting students academically, socially and athletically. Hart said the statement reflected broader goals for all Garfield athletic programs and was not intended as criticism of Roy’s leadership.
“That is just the overall goal, and that wasn’t necessarily a comment on what I felt Brandon wasn’t offering or the girls coach. It wasn’t the intent to portray that something was wrong with the way he built the program,” Hart said. “It was just sort of a broader statement about what our goals at Garfield are related to student athletes and the athletic programs.”
In May 2026, Hart received notification that the investigation had concluded with no findings against Roy.
“The WIAA received all the supporting documents and evidence related to the allegations and there were no findings. They were unsubstantiated. And once that was reported by the WIAA that ended the investigation of those allegations,” Hart said.
Around the same time, the coach who led Garfield during the 2025-26 season decided not to return, creating an opening for the head coaching position. Roy applied along with several other candidates.
Shuldiner said the district wanted the hiring process to remain open to all qualified applicants.
“In February, as I got more immersed into the situation, I heard about coaches at different schools. Garfield needed a head coach, and we wanted to have a hiring process that was open to everybody,” said Shuldiner. “I’m thrilled that Mr. Roy got the position. He seems like a stand-up guy. I trust Dr. Hart and the team who chose him and think that this is the guy that is going to help us and our students be the greatest student athletes.”
According to Hart, Garfield received applications from several qualified candidates. However, Roy stood out as the person most aligned with the school’s vision.
“We didn’t go in saying we are hiring Brandon. It was about who in this interview process understands Garfield’s rich culture. To be quite honest, Coach Roy’s interview was by far the best interview because I think he spoke to the very things that I think are important,” Hart said. “That is we are not just supporting athletes, but we are supporting students who are going to go into the world and be successful in whatever endeavors. That is what really stood out in the whole interview process, and why the committee unanimously agreed that he is our top choice.”
With the investigation behind him and an opportunity to return to Garfield, Roy said his decision to come back was about much more than basketball.
His daughter, Mariah Roy, sat out her junior season because she struggled with her father’s absence from the program. Now, she is excited to have him back at Garfield as she prepares for her final season of high school basketball.
“Sitting out for that year, it was hard because I am looking at my daughter who isn’t playing, isn’t going to any games, but she wants to. I felt as a father, I have to show her I can move past these things. It was a mistake and it was something that can be cleared up. But if I can be forgiving in all this, then maybe she can learn a lesson from it,” Roy said. “It’s about having that bond with my kids and wanting them to see that I can move past some unfortunate incidents. And it’s about the kids, and not just my daughter but if I can help kids and better them, then I want to do that.”
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner said the district also learned important lessons throughout the process and acknowledged that coaches need better support navigating athletic regulations.
“What I am seeing is a district that cares deeply about its sports and student athletes, but one that didn’t necessarily have the right structures in place in terms of supporting coaches,” Shuldiner said. “As a district, we need to do better.”
“I see wonderful people like Brandon, who care deeply about this community, who want to support our children, not being given the support and guidance that they need to be really good coaches who are able to really move forward within the structures of the WIAA and Metro League,” Shuldiner added.
As he prepares for his return to the sidelines, Roy said he doesn’t yet know what Garfield’s roster will look like next season. But he believes the program can quickly return to form and is asking the Garfield community to be patient as he works to develop the team.
“I didn’t watch a game this year for the boys or girls,” Roy said. “It was more out of sight, out of mind. Right now, I really don’t know what’s on the team. I’m asking people to be patient with the process over the summer. It’s Garfield, and I think I can do a good job developing the players we have.”
Roy said stepping away from the program was necessary after his dismissal. Now that he has returned, he said his focus is on putting players in the best position to succeed, beginning with building relationships and helping them see him as more than a former NBA star.
“They all want to ask me about Kobe Bryant, but I’d rather tell them about how I struggled in high school and I got into the University of Washington late because I didn’t pass my SATs,” Roy said. “They then start to open their eyes and see me as more than just a coach or a former NBA player. They start to see me as a human.”
Throughout his basketball career, Roy has remained closely connected to Garfield and the surrounding community. Hart said those ties, combined with Roy’s commitment to students, make him the right person to lead the program.
“I overwhelmingly think that Brandon is the right person for this role. Not just because of his basketball expertise, but because I really believe he cares about the community and the students in it,” Hart said. “He is interested in not just basketball, but in what is best for the students in the building, whether they are basketball players or not. And that is exactly the type of person we need for the program and I am elated to have him back.”
Shuldiner said he hopes Roy’s return reflects the district’s commitment to supporting students and the broader Garfield community.
“There was an allegation, an investigation, and there were no findings, and I am sorry Brandon had to go through that,” Shuldiner said. “I want the community to know that Seattle Public Schools cares about its kids and its community, and if bringing Brandon Roy back shows us living that language, then that’s great.”
