Though short, Andre Roberson had an interesting NBA spell. The Colorado product made waves with his defensive skills, especially on the rebounding front. But his limited offensive skill set would land him the 26th spot in the 2013 draft, with the Oklahoma City Thunder .
Nonetheless, he eventually turned out to be a permanent fixture in Thunder's starting line-up. The 6'7" forward was usually tasked with guarding the best player on the opposition. His ability to slide past screens and intercept the opposition plays served as a defensive blessing to OKC.
Coming off an All-Defensive Second Team selection, Roberson was one of the front-runners for 2017-18 DPOY. Unfortunately, things took a tragic turn after he ruptured his left patellar tendon, putting his career in jeopardy. An injury that eventually cut short his promising career.
He was eventually left with ten-day contracts, then waived by the Brooklyn Nets in 2021. With no choice left, he decided to take his talents overseas. As of today, he is signed with the VTB United League based in Russia.
Among the several talking points in his recent interview with "Beyond The Game" was Roberson revealing his toughest defensive matchups during his NBA tenure.
"Man, in his prime, probably Klay Thompson. One of the greatest shooters all time, and in the era where you're able to set screens, and he ran off a lot of screens, and even in transition, you had to be on your P's and Q's to kind of get to him," said the former Thunder guard, who talked about certain small guards giving him a tough time as well.
"He's like 6'8", jumped off the floor, and has a high release off point. So, if you're not there early, you're not really affecting the shot. So, I would say him. I mean, like I said, self-explanatory. 33 or 37 points in one quarter, 66 in three quarters, or something like that," Robertson added.
Listed at 6'7" with a wingspan of seven feet, Roberson pretty much managed to defend some of the biggest names in the business, including the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant . However, Andre did struggle against small, shifty guards. Offering further insights about it, too.
"Usually, smaller guards, shiftier guards that I can't necessarily put my hand on or kind of use my physicality in a sense. Uh, so like a Kyrie was always tough to guard. Ty Lawson in his prime. Just little fast guards that you can't really hand check," stated Roberson.
That said, on most occasions, Andre was pretty much in control of the situations. At the same time, he faced a lot of flak for his limited offensive abilities on the court. But his defensive contributions, especially during his stint with OKC, would blanket his scoring limitations.
Pursuing his basketball aspirations overseason for a while now, he still wishes to be back in the NBA someday. During a 2024 Q&A session with HoopsHype, Andre opened up about playing across different leagues worldwide.
Around five years since he last played in the NBA, one would assume Roberson has come to terms with it being a closed chapter. But the former OKC guard continues to have aspirations about it. At the same time, falling short of it does not mean the endgame for him as well.
"Yeah, 100 percent. I mean, to a degree, the NBA is the pinnacle of basketball. So, at some point, yes, I definitely like to do that. At the same time, it's like if it happens, it happens," said Andre back in 2024.
It is no doubt heartwarming to see Roberson continue to pursue his hardwood journey. Though things didn't go his way, it could never break his spirit for the game. His positive approach to life is nothing short of praiseworthy, no matter whether he ultimately makes a long-awaited comeback.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
