Andre Roberson, Former Thunder Standout, Practicing With Oklahoma City Blue

Former Thunder standout, Andre Roberson, is working out with the Oklahoma City Blue. While his playing days are probably over, could we see a return to the franchise in a difference capacity?

Andre Roberson, a former Thunder standout, is apparently working out with the Blue, Oklahoma City’s G League affiliate, according to a team spokesperson, per Rylan Stiles.

Per Thunder spokesperson Andre Roberson is practicing with the Oklahoma City Blue which is why he has been in town.

— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) January 3, 2023

Roberson spent six years with the Thunder and was once widely considered one of the NBA’s very best perimeter defenders due to his unique combination of strength, athleticism and instinct. He often guarded some of the best scorers in the league such as LeBron James, Klay Thompson, and Kawhi Leonard.

In 2016-17, he was even named to the All-Defensive team and helped the Thunder reach the Western Conference Finals twice. He was also a part of one of the best defensive lineups the franchise has ever enjoyed – one that only allowed just 95.9 points per 100 possessions.

Unfortunately, in the 2017-18 season, Roberson ruptured his patellar tendon when attempting to finish a lob thrown by Russell Westbrook. Subsequently, he was sidelined for 30 months due to the injury and would play just 87 minutes the following season before becoming a free agent.

In 2021, the Brooklyn Nets kicked the tires on the defensive-minded wing, signing him to a 10-day contract, but it wouldn’t last. Roberson hasn’t played in the NBA since then.

It’s unlikely that Roberson is working to return to the NBA as a player, but perhaps he might follow the same path that other former Thunder players have. The front office in Oklahoma City currently has five former Thunder players working for them in some capacity.

That list includes Eric Maynor, Nazr Mohammd, Mike Wilks, Anthony Morrow, and most recently, D.J. White. And while Kameron Woods did not play for the Thunder, he played two seasons with the Blue before transitioning into assistant coaching positions with the Thunder, and then the Blue, before ultimately being given the Blue’s head coaching position back in September.

If Roberson can find a role within the Thunder organization, it’s easy to see his experience, knowledge of defensive schemes, and nuances of on-ball defense providing invaluable insight for the second youngest team in NBA history. More especially because of Oklahoma City’s youthful, but inexperienced defensive talent that already resides at the wing position.

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