The UWGB men’s basketball team is generating excitement with new additions to its coaching staff and roster. Former ESPN broadcaster and now coach Doug Gotlieb, Jordan McCabe, and Jasper Johnson are some names that fans may be familiar with. However, a player who is just beginning to make a name for himself is senior guard Anthony Roy.
Roy had an impressive debut for UWGB, scoring 46 points off 12 consecutive three-pointers in a game against St. Norbert. He followed this performance with 27 points against Oklahoma State, 24 against St Thomas, and 35 against Western Illinois. Roy’s strong start suggests he could be UWGB’s next basketball star.
Growing up in California, Roy credits his uncle for inspiring his passion for basketball. “My uncle was really good. Where I’m from, he was like one of those dudes who was supposed to make it out but didn’t. Everybody knew my uncle where I was from,” Roy stated. His uncle was also a coach for a prominent AAU program that included players like Aaron Gordon, Jabari Bird, and Trevor Dunbar. Roy’s uncle would take him to the gym, and seeing these talented players motivated him to start playing basketball himself.
During his youth and early career, Roy felt that he was a late bloomer. Roy said, “As far as skill, I was below average. A lot of players were bigger, faster, and better than me.” Roy recalls playing AAU on the B team until age 15. When he was 16, he played in the Adidas Gold Gauntlet, which is a multi-stop travel team circuit that is exclusive for Adidas-sponsored teams to gain exposure in front of college coaches and media outlets.
Anthony Roy during a game with New Mexico State. He averaged 10.3 points and 2.8 rebounds for the Aggies during the 2022-23 season. Photo obtained from @tnblefty on Instagram.
Before Roy’s senior season at Dublin High School, the team’s best player had transferred out, which allowed him to step into a more prominent role and become the school’s leading scorer. Roy averaged 18 points, five rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals during his senior year. He was named the 2019-20 East Bay Athletic League Most Valuable Player, earned First Team All-Bay Area honors from the Bay Area Newsgroup, and was awarded Sports Star Magazine NorCal Player of the Year.
Although he was a top player in the state of California, Roy received limited interest from major colleges outside the state. Out of high school, Roy held offers from three Division 1 schools, including Montana State, Cal State Fullerton, and the University of San Francisco.
Roy’s college career took him across multiple schools and levels of play. He began at the University of San Francisco, where he averaged four points per game, then transferred to Wenatchee Valley, a junior college in Washington, where he averaged 23.2 points. He continued at New Mexico State, averaging 10.3 points per game, and later transferred to Langston University in Oklahoma, an NAIA school, where he averaged 18.4 points and became a First-Team NAIA All-American.
Reflecting on his journey, Roy expressed appreciation for Division I competition and media exposure. “Playing Division 1, all our games are livestreamed. With JUCO and NAIA, I didn’t experience that. The competition at those levels isn’t that competitive,” Roy said. With UWGB being Roy’s third D1 school, he has grown an appreciation for playing against some of the best players in the country every day. “A lot of people in my situation wouldn’t have got better at basketball. I kind of just stuck with it and I knew my potential and just kept playing for real,” Roy stated.
Anthony Roy dribbles down court during UWGB Men’s Basketball game vs St. Norbert. Roy scored 46 points with 12 three pointers. Photo from @gbphoenixmbb on Instagram.
Roy chose to play his final college year at UWGB and credits Assistant Coach Archibald for recruiting him. Roy said, “Coach Archibald had been recruiting me for three years, so once he got the job there, we had an established relationship already. Also, Green Bay was good last year, and I felt like I could come here and make them better.”
As Roy adjusts to his new home in Green Bay, he’s developed a typical game day routine. For home games, his routine consists of waking up, going to the gym, eating a big breakfast from either Blackstone or Perkins, and then going home to relax before going back to the gym for a pre-game meal. Before the games, Roy finds himself listening to music from a variety of artists, including NBA YoungBoy, Rod Wave, G Herbo, Lil Baby, and other “underground” artists.
Like many college athletes, Roy has little free time outside of basketball and academics, but he has found one hobby to keep him occupied on off days. “I love to go bowling,” said Roy. Roy is a senior majoring in organizational leadership and says that he’s completed most of his credits already. The team also hosts study halls together, which helps Roy and teammates to stay on top of schoolwork.
Roy (bottom right) lines up for a free throw as former UWGB player Rich Byhre prepares to shoot. Photo provided by Jimmy Jacques.
Prior to the St. Norbert game, Roy was informed that UWGB had a close game with them last season, so he was motivated to win against them this time around. “When the game started, after my first two or three shots went in, I just felt good. I just kept shooting, and they kept going in,” Roy said. Finishing the game with 46 points in his UWGB debut, Roy would’ve broken the school’s single-game scoring record if it hadn’t been an exhibition game.
Fans are excited and have high hopes for Roy and the entire team this season. Season ticket holder Joe Jacques stated, “I graduated from UWGB in 1995 and have followed the men’s basketball team ever since. They’ve had some struggles recently, but I think bringing in coach Gottlieb and talented guys like Anthony Roy was a step in the right direction. After a couple of big first games, it looks like Roy might be the go-to guy this year. I’m excited to see how far the team will go this year and I hope they make the NCAA tournament.” Assistant Coach Jordan McCabe also expressed confidence in Roy’s game, stating, “Anthony is not only a super talented and fun player to watch but also a guy that wants to win.”
Roy pictured in UWGB’s match against St. Thomas. Roy finished with 24 points in the loss. Photo provided by @Brenjamin13 on X.
For the rest of the season, Roy aims to stay disciplined with his routine and take on a leadership role within the team. He has personal goals of becoming the Horizon League Player of the Year and wants to lead the country in scoring. As of Nov 16th, he ranked fifth nationally in scoring, averaging 28.7 points per game. He hopes the team can win the Horizon League Championship and wants to qualify for the March Madness tournament for the first time since 2016. “I think these goals are all doable goals,” Roy stated.
When Roy’s time is up at Green Bay, he hopes to fulfill his lifelong dream of making it to the NBA. If not the NBA, Roy will look to play in the NBA G League or search for other professional opportunities to continue playing basketball. Roy also considered the idea of becoming a coach in the future as well.
