Daddies on court

• Going into new year, Blazer baby boom shows no sign of slowing

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Dec 24, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

©2007 GREG WAHL-STEPHENS

The latest generation in the Blazer family includes (from left) Nicholas Blake, Elijah Williams, Brandon Roy Jr. and Cael LaFrentz – and another baby’s due in January. Assistant coach Monty Williams (below) already has gym plans for Elijah.

There’s a movement afoot with the Trail Blazers, one even more important than winning streaks or playoff records.

It’s called fatherhood.

In the last 22 months, six Blazers — five players and assistant coach Monty Williams — have joined or rejoined the club.

When center-forward Raef LaFrentz was traded to Portland last year, some employees heard he and wife Joie were trying to have a baby.

“You’re in the right place,” they told LaFrentz. “There’s something about the Portland water. A lot of players’ wives and girlfriends are pregnant.”

What’s more, all of the new offspring are boys.

And another one is coming. Brandi Miles, wife of forward Darius Miles, is expecting Jan. 7.

And, yes, the couple already knows it will be a boy.

“It’s funny,” says guard Brandon Roy, whose first child, Brandon Jr., is almost 9 months old. “Whenever somebody’s wife gets pregnant, we always go, ‘You’re going to have a boy.’ ”

“I guess the next wave of babies will be girls,” says guard Steve Blake, whose son, Nicholas, is 14 months old.

It’s been said that every father, deep down, wants a son.

“It didn’t matter what sex as long as the baby was healthy, but I was superexcited to have a boy,” Blake says. “The first time, most guys want a boy and the wife wants the girl. Next time, maybe we’ll get the girl.”

Roy adds with a laugh: “It’s good to get the boy out of the way first.”

One Blazer, James Jones, has two young children —with wife Destiny, they have 3-month-old James Jr. and sister Jadynn, 2.

‘Little buddy’ makes four

Assistant coach Williams, meanwhile, is old hat at being a parent. Elijah, born Aug. 30, has three sisters — Lael, 9; Faith, 7; and Jenna, 5.

One can imagine how busy the Williams’ house is for Monty’s wife, Ingrid, when he’s away on road trips.

Williams loves his daughters. But …

“Now he has a little buddy to play basketball with,” Ingrid Williams says. “He has great plans for him at the gym when he gets a little older.”

The three Williams girls do get “Daddy time” every night, though. “They play games and read books and do a lot of wrestling,” Ingrid says. “I always say when Daddy’s out of town, all the fun’s gone. I have to make up for it with pizza night.”

Being a father changed Jones’ life.

“It’s put everything in perspective and made everything else secondary,” he says. “The feeling I get from seeing them every day outweighs any feeling you’d get from making a winning shot or whatever I could possibly do on the court. The only thing I’m concerned about is knowing I’m a great dad. One day, my basketball career will be over, but my kids will be there forever. It’s no longer about me; it’s all about them.”

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