Andre Roberson Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: G-F
Born: 12/04/91
Height: 6-7 / 2.01
Weight:206 lbs. / 93.4 kg.
Salary: $10,740,740
Born: 12/04/91
Height: 6-7 / 2.01
Weight:206 lbs. / 93.4 kg.
Salary: $10,740,740
Brandon Rahbar: Danilo Gallinari on Andre Roberson: “On the defensive end, he’s the key. He can guard anybody. On offense he’s unselfish. He has a very high IQ.” The high praise for Dre continues across the board. And as we’ve seen in the scrimmages, it’s not just hype.
Joe Mussatto: Donovan on Roberson: “He’s in good shape, but I know he can be in better shape.” Roberson’s minutes steadily increased from 12 to 15 to 18 in the three scrimmages.
Joe Mussatto: Andre Roberson will start tonight, per Billy Donovan.
“I’ve seen a couple of guys tear ACLs in front of me, but not something that extensive to where you could hear the injury happening,” Pistons guard Langston Galloway told The Athletic. Galloway was on the Pistons’ bench when Roberson suffered the injury. “That’s the first time I’d seen or heard something like that. “He tries to plant and all I remember was … I heard like a pop and I didn’t know what it was. I thought it was somebody behind me. I didn’t know what happened.”
Even before the optimism of the Thunder’s first scrimmage, players who had never taken the floor alongside Roberson were adamant the veteran was impacting practices. It was as if the Thunder were keeping him a secret – few photos or video of Roberson leaking out of the Orlando bubble – but a secret can be kept only for so long. “First thing I noticed about Dre is he’s the smartest defensive player I’ve been around,” Thunder guard Shai Gilgeouos-Alexander said. “He’s always in the right spot. He knows where the next pass is going to be. It’s like he’s always doing the right thing defensively.”
Brandon Rahbar: Andre Roberson on nerves: “I felt really comfortable today. I kinda got it all out of my system the first game. It felt great.”
Brandon Rahbar: Billy Donovan on the Thunder comeback: “It speaks to our guys. We’ve been like that all year long. They don’t pout. They’re always of the mindset to battle and fight. Those guys really stepped up. I was really happy for Andre.”
Midway through the third quarter, a quiet gym suddenly got loud. When Andre Roberson checked into Oklahoma City’s scrimmage against Boston on Friday, it marked the first Roberson’s first appearance since January 27th … 2018. When Roberson stepped onto the floor, the Thunder bench rose and saluted Roberson with a standing ovation. “It was a lot of emotions,” Roberson said after the game. “Anxious, happy, just overly ecstatic to get back on the floor.”
Brandon Rahbar: Andre Roberson on his team giving him a standing ovation: “It just felt great to be out there with the support of my team. It was a blessing.” Says he was anxious and had nerves. But he’s noticeably very happy in this presser.
Brandon Rahbar: Andre Roberson on this team’s spirit: “We’ve got great character guys. Sam does a great job of bringing great guys into this organization.” Says the young guys are humble and calls them young grasshoppers.
Brandon Rahbar: Billy Donovan on Roberson’s return: “It was great. The guys couldn’t be more excited for him. I know I was. You were able to see glimpses of what makes him such a great defensive player. He actually played really really well.”
The Thunder open their restart scrimmaging the Celtics on Friday, and Roberson will likely be available. “Basically a big roller coaster of emotions,” Roberson said of his rehab process to get to this point. “Just being so close, and then something else would happen. Setback after setback. I don’t know man, it was just tough. … “[There were] definitely a lot of times I was ready to give up.”
In December 2019, he stepped away from the team, taking his rehab to Los Angeles. He explained he didn’t want to be a burden on the medical staff or a distraction to the team. He needed a new environment, and his girlfriend, Rachel DeMita, was mostly in L.A. “There were times after I would get home from practice and I’d just be alone with my thoughts,” Roberson said, “so I just needed somebody to be with me.”
“His quest is a testament as to why he’s a great defender,” Presti said. “When someone scores on him, it doesn’t deter him from the next possession. He doesn’t get disrupted when things don’t go his way. “You can play great defense on one of these great players in the NBA and they’re going to score on you. It’s the same thing with this. When you suffer an injury there are going to be setbacks, and in his case there were more than you would’ve hoped. But that hasn’t deterred him.”
Brandon Rahbar: Billy Donovan on Andre Roberson: “For me, it’s been inspiring to see him out there. I couldn’t be happier for him. He knows who he is as a player. He knows he’s an elite defensive player. Andre understands the bigger picture.”
Brandon Rahbar: Donovan: “If Andre is available to play, we are gonna play him.”
Brandon Rahbar: Billy Donovan on Andre Roberson: “I think we will have to see. But I’m encouraged by what’s he’s done the first two days.” Dre went through everything both days.
Brandon Rahbar: Donovan says he’s not opposed to starting Lu Dort. But mentioned Ferguson and Roberson were both out when Dort started. He won’t commit to Dort still starting. Which is mostly interesting because Roberson is possibly back…
It’s unclear where Roberson might fit in a potential Thunder rotation, or if he can return to the top-level defensive form he once had, but his size and length make him an available option at a number of different positions. “He’s doing great. I thought he had a great time off, and he was able to work a lot on rehabbing his knee,” Danilo Gallinari said. “He looks great, and I’m very happy to see him back because I know what it means to be out that long with that injury, so to see him back and the joy and energy he brings to the team, it’s great to see.”
Erik Horne: Chris Paul on Andre Roberson being back in practice: “It’s the best thing ever. When I talk about a guy being consummate teammate, for a guy to go through all the things he’s been through, I’m so happy for him. He’s had some of the toughest times people wouldn’t even know.”
Brandon Rahbar: Billy Donovan on the first Thunder media call in Orlando: “Andre did practice today. Went through everything. He looked really good. We’ll see how he develops.” Sounds promising. But there’s still doubt. Seems like a real 50-50.
Brandon Rahbar: Visual confirmation Andre Roberson is in Orlando with the Thunder from the best source possible: Dre’s long time girlfriend Rachel DeMita. pic.twitter.com/031Qh3t26s
Brandon Rahbar: Sam Presti on Andre Roberson’s return: “The time has really helped Dre. We haven’t got to see him in real basketball yet. We’re in a better place than we were on March 11 for sure. But we won’t know until we get into team practice but we’re hopeful.”
Andre Roberson recovered from injury?
Andre Roberson seems to give the impression that he could be on the court sooner rather than later. “I’m kinda past the rehab stage. I’m almost to the point where — I should be playing, honestly. But I’m still taking it a day at a time until I get back into our medical staff’s hands and get reevaluated. Just staying patient through it all and knowing that the light is right there at the end of the tunnel… It’s definitely been a long journey and it’s coming to an end.”
Maddie Lee: Andre Roberson has not yet joined team practices, but has been going through individual workouts consistently since coming back to OKC, per Billy Donovan. No word yet on when he’ll be able to join contact practices.
Erik Horne: Billy Donovan said Andre Roberson has been working out on a consistent basis since returning to OKC. Donovan said they’ll have a better feel this weekend for if Roberson will be back in practice. Thunder has three non-game days after Kings/Bucks back-to-back tonight and Friday.
A few months ago, the sight would have been benign. But at the beginning of December, Roberson (left knee injury recovery) moved his injury rehabilitation to Los Angeles. Thunder coach Billy Donovan said Roberson made trips back to Oklahoma City and was in regular contact with the Thunder medical staff during his time in California. But Roberson hadn’t been in the Thunder locker room during pregame availability since he first left for L.A.. On Sunday, Roberson returned to OKC for the foreseeable future.
The next step for Roberson is to go through a series of medical tests. Roberson did not practice with the team Monday, Donovan said. But he worked out with development coaches after practice, running through situational drills on offense and defense. There is still no timetable for Roberson’s return.
“He’s back here now,” Donovan said. “Things can change, as they always do.” Roberson experienced multiple setbacks after rupturing his left patellar tendon in January 2018. Each extended his rehabilitation timeline, but none more than an avulsion fracture, which an MRI revealed 10 months after the initial injury.
The Thunder was hopeful that Roberson would return to the court during preseason this year, but after graduating to five-on-five drills, Roberson hit a wall in his rehab. Eventually, he tried a change in scenery. Before returning to OKC, Roberson worked out with Olin Simplis, the same personal trainer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes to in the offseason. “O has helped a lot with me in terms of knee pains in the summer and stuff like that,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And I know Dre is dealing with some knee pains, so O should be good for him.”
06 Feb
06 Feb
Maddie Lee: Per a Thunder spokesperson: Andre Roberson will be handling his rehab away from the team, for a change of scenery. He does not have a return date.
