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Former NBA All-Defensive Team member Andre Roberson shares how the Philippines impacted the direction of his playing career.
It was in January last year when Andre Roberson first played in a league outside the NBA, following a career headlined by his time with the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook-led Oklahoma City Thunder.
A former NBA All-Defensive Team member, Roberson was tapped by Strong Group Athletics for the 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship, linking up with former NBA talent Dwight Howard, naturalized big Andray Blatche, and homegrown stars like JD Cagulangan and Kevin Quiambao.
Strong Group went on to finish second in Dubai, but for Roberson, that stint went deeper than just another opportunity to play basketball. For him, that first Philippine stint served as a sign to continue his playing career overseas.
“It helped me see what overseas culture is like, and see if I wanted to test the waters in that aspect or retire,” Roberson told The GAME in a recent exclusive interview. “So you know, it was a great brand of basketball, and I competed at a high level, so maybe continue to keep pursuing it.”
Roberson’s NBA career was derailed by a ruptured left patellar tendon in 2018, which kept him sidelined until the NBA Bubble in 2020. After his stint with Oklahoma City, Roberson attempted a few more comeback attempts in the Association, signing with the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, and even the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G-League in 2023.
Playing with Strong Group, Roberson said, helped him realize that he had a lot left in the tank as a professional basketball player. That his body could still handle the grind of playing a continued stretch of games.
“It gave me a different style of basketball that I haven’t seen before, and something that I could carry into my future. Maybe tell my kids, or try to apply it to the game of basketball. Who knows?” Roberson reflected.
“Who knows? In the future, will there be an NBA Europe, or NBA Asia, stuff like that. So if I want to coach, I can sit here and say that I got the best of both worlds, so we’ll see what the future holds.”
Roberson has gone on to play in France since his Strong Group debut, spending time with Cholet and the Euroleague-bound LDLC Asvel over the past year. While it’s a step outside of his comfort zone, the defensive ace is just grateful to continue playing in a high-level basketball environment.
As for the NBA, Roberson admits that there will always be regrets as to how things ended. Still, that’s not to say that he’s not trying to focus on the positives, including the chance to continue playing professional hoops.
“I mean, I’m making peace with it, brother. You know what I mean? It’s not necessarily ideal in terms of being injured, but you know? It’s part of life, you got to enjoy the ups and downs and learn how to turn a negative into a positive.”
Seize the moment
Andre Roberson has since returned to the Philippines for another go-around with Strong Group, this time a part of their title-repeat bid for the 2025 William Jones Cup in Taipei, Taiwan.
It’s a full-circle moment of sorts for the 33-year-old, given how Strong Group helped him prepare for life after the NBA.
“Oh man! It feels good to be back, man, like I said, I get the hang of it now, and I understand what it’s like to represent SGA. So it’s amazing, you know? We didn’t get the job done last time, so hopefully we can get it done this time,” Roberson said as he recalled Strong Group’s 2024 heartbreak in Dubai.
“I’m enjoying it! You got good players, you got good talent here. Great guys, and you just put it all together just like that. It makes it easy to go out here and play basketball, have fun.”
It remains to be seen where Andre Roberson will play after the Jones Cup, but wherever he lands, the 33-year-old promises to offer a renewed competitive fire, as well as a game that’s been sharpened by adversity.
“Let’s put it this way: it’s not going to rain forever, and you gotta keep your best foot forward,” Roberson said. “You just get one percent better each and every day, and it turns out to be something great. So try to find a way to turn a negative into a positive.”
Images courtesy of Strong Group Athletics on Facebook.