OKLAHOMA CITY — As Andre Roberson walked into the press convention room, he touched the OKC Blue backdrop together with his hand and checked out it with fondness.
“A lot’s changed,” Roberson stated with a smile.
It definitely has. Saturday marked his first look at Paycom Center, previously Chesapeake Energy Arena, in 1,836 days.
The former Oklahoma City guard performed from 2013-2020 with the Thunder, showing in 302 video games and beginning 269 of them. But he made his return on Saturday as a member of the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G-League affiliate.
Despite not checking into the sport in opposition to the Stockton Kings, it was the primary time the 31-year-old was an lively participant in Oklahoma City since Jan. 25, 2018.
“It was nostalgic,” Roberson stated about being again within the constructing as a participant. “It was pretty cool. It was pretty dope… It was really good to see the same faces because we’re all family here.”
Roberson performed a major position throughout his Thunder tenure. He turned the Thunder’s full-time beginning capturing guard within the 2014-2015 season and have become recognized as one of the NBA’s finest defensive gamers. His protection was a key half of the Thunder’s Western Conference Finals look in 2016.
He remained an essential starter in the course of the 2017-2018 season following the acquisitions of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. However, that season was derailed after Roberson ruptured his left patellar tendon throughout a sport at Detroit in Jan. 2018.
Roberson missed the rest of the 2017-18 season and the whole thing of the 2018-19 season due to the damage and different setbacks within the rehab course of. His closing seven video games for the Thunder got here in the course of the 2019-2020, all within the Orlando bubble.
Roberson has performed solely 12 NBA video games since then, with the final one coming as a member of the Brooklyn Nets in March 2021 earlier than the franchise waived him.
The Blue introduced Wednesday that that they had signed Roberson, with the acquisition coming after a month of Roberson training with the Blue.
“I didn’t have any expectations coming in (practicing) but I wanted to give it my all and see what I can do and go out there and see what I got,” Roberson stated.
On Thursday, he performed 12 minutes in opposition to the Austin Spurs, marking his first skilled basketball sport in 701 days.
With almost two years between video games, the Blue and Roberson are being cautious together with his return as he continues to play into form.
“Dipping my feet in slowly and gradually working into things,” Roberson stated. “It’s my first day back in the building so it’s all still kind of new, let alone being on a team and being around the guys. But at the same time, just ready to get back out there (but I) don’t want to overexert myself to where I’m back on the sidelines again.”
However, that is greater than Roberson making a triumphant return to basketball. He’s hoping to play within the NBA once more.
“I wouldn’t step on the court if I didn’t want to do that, right?” Roberson stated. “Every time I step on the court, I try to play at the highest level I can. I guess you can say my ultimate goal is to see how far I can go.”
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