Brandon Roy speaks to Portland fans Thursday. Associated Press Photo.

PORTLAND — Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy, who has led his team’s surprising resurgence, was named to the NBA All-Star game Thursday.

Western Conference coaches selected Roy, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year, as a reserve. Fans picked the All-Star starters.

“I still don’t understand how much this means,” Roy said. “Maybe I’ll have to wait until I’m putting on the jersey and sitting in the locker room with Kobe and all those guys.”

Roy is the first Portland player selected to the game since Rasheed Wallace in 2000 and 2001. He averages 19.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Trail Blazers, who are 26-19 and have surpassed expectations after the loss of No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden to injury in the offseason.

The Blazers, the youngest team in the NBA, opened the season 5-12 before reeling off a 13-game winning streak in December. The Blazers were not as hot in January, but managed to post consecutive winning months for the first time since 2004.

Roy has twice been the NBA’s player of the week, with both honors coming during the 13-game winning streak.

“He gets it,” coach Nate McMillan said. “He understands where this organization is at, where we need to go, and what it takes to get there.”

McMillan said he had an inkling Roy would make the All-Star team.

“I talked to about four guys in the Western Conference and they all said they were going to vote for Brandon,” he said. “You never know, but they all came through.”

As a rookie last season, Roy was one of the lone positives for the Blazers, who finished 32-50. When the Blazers selected Oden with the top pick in the June draft, the team appeared ready to turn a corner.

But knee surgery ended Oden’s season before it started.

Though many fans were taking a wait-until-next-season approach, the players — including Roy — never bought into it.

“It’s not about me,” Roy said. “It’s about what this team has done. They (the coaches) couldn’t deny it.”

The Blazers campaigned for Roy’s spot on the All-Star roster, sending each of the coaches a customized iPod, called the iRoy. It features videos of his more memorable performances.

Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant and Denver’s Allen Iverson will start in the backcourt for the West team on Feb. 17. They’ll be joined by Houston center Yao Ming and forwards Carmelo Anthony of Denver and Tim Duncan of San Antonio. Reserves named to the West team include Utah forward Carlos Boozer, Phoenix guard Steve Nash, Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, New Orleans guard Chris Paul, Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire and New Orleans forward David West.

Paul, Nash and Roy emerged from a crowded group of West guards including Golden State’s Baron Davis, Utah point guard Deron Williams, and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili from the defending champion Spurs.

The Trail Blazers opened the Rose Garden Arena for the selection show, and several dozen fans made it. They were treated to an appearance by Roy, McMillan, and Blazers teammates LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw and Jarrett Jack.

Roy told the crowd that general manager Kevin Pritchard called earlier to tell him he hadn’t made the team.

“Then he said ’Psych! You made the All-Star team,’ “ Roy said.

Roy was also named to the sophomore team for All-Star weekend’s rookie challenge, as was Aldridge. He’ll play in both games.

Roy is the 14th Blazer to represent the team in the All-Star game.