Oklahoma City Thunder wing Andre Roberson last stepped on the court for an official game last January 2018. Since then, the 28-year-old has been rehabbing from a ruptured left patellar tendon.
With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic delaying the end of the 2019-20 NBA season, the extra time has given Roberson a chance to make his comeback.
The Thunder will be traveling to Orlando on July 31 to finish the season in a specially designed 22-team format recently approved by the league. And despite the team teasing a Roberson comeback multiple times in the last year or so, OKC General Manager Sam Presti is hopeful that the return to action would give that opportunity to the swingman.
Presti on Andre Roberson playing in Orlando: “The time has really helped Dre. From a health standpoint, he’s doing really well. We’re certainly hopeful, but we’ve got to cross that next bridge." Presti said the team hasn't seen Roberson in contact practice.
— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) June 7, 2020
Never known for his scoring prowess, Andre Roberson did provide an elite defensive presence for the Thunder when he was on the court. The 6-foot-7 wing was named to the NBA's All-Defensive Second Team for the 2016-17 season and was a pest for opposing players to deal with.
Roberson played 39 games in the 2017-18 season where he served as the team's starting shooting guard. In 26.6 minutes per game, the former Colorado star put up 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 53.7 percent from the field.
This 2019-20 season, the Thunder became one of the NBA's biggest surprises as they jumped out to a 40-24 record and are squarely in playoff contention in what was supposed to be Year 1 of a rebuild. The team's record makes them tied for fifth place in the Western Conference with the Houston Rockets.
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