Daily Egyptian F02
Rolan Roberts sets sights on NBA
Jack PiattDaily Egyptian
This past season's amazing journey to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament may have been sweetly satisfying, but it wasn't enough to quench Rolan Roberts's thirst to play competitive basketball.
With calls coming in from the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers, Roberts has much to look forward to, and on the same hand, much to prepare for.
Roberts was born in Baltimore, Md., but after the age of six he moved to Woodbridge, Va., where his mother still lives. Growing up, he always wanted to play basketball and hoped to make it to the professional level. After graduating from high school, Roberts played basketball at Virginia Tech, but found his home here at SIU.
"Going from mediocrity at V-Tech and never winning, it was unbelievable coming here and going to the NCAA Tournament," Roberts said.
Roberts said he was raised by his mother and is grateful for her love and support.
"My mother never turned her back on me," Roberts said. "She is the most important person in my life."
Roberts said he enjoyed his time here at SIU and liked the small environment where everyone knows each other.
Roberts said he got along well with the team but had close relationships in particular with Brad Korn, Marcus Belcher and Stetson Hairston.
Roberts said the coaching staff did a good job this past season, and he said he has a lot of respect for head coach Bruce Weber.
"He has been there for me off the court - even after the season," Roberts said.
Weber said Roberts has a good chance of playing professional basketball.
"He just needs one team that likes him, or needs his style of play," Weber said.
It would seem that getting a college degree and leading the SIU basketball team to the NCAA Tournament and on to the Sweet 16 would be plenty to fill Robert's plate, but Roberts has no intentions of slowing down anytime soon.
After claiming the co-champion title at the NCAA slam dunk contest in Atlanta, Roberts traveled to his home state of Virginia to play in the Portsmouth Invitational camp, where 60 of the top college players were chosen to compete.
Roberts played exceptionally, averaging 18 points a game and getting a lot of attention from NBA scouts.
After leaving Virginia, he traveled to Sacramento, Calif., to meet with a personal trainer. Roberts trained twice a day for two weeks before heading to Indiana for a workout with the Pacers.
Roberts spent a day in Indianapolis, getting tested in a variety of different areas. The staff of the Pacers tested not only his physical ability and basketball skills, but he also had to take two psychological tests that lasted a combined three hours.
Roberts said one of the highlights of going to workout with the Pacers was meeting Isiah Thomas.
Roberts then ventured back to Sacramento, where he trained hard for another week before heading to Chicago.
At the Chicago pre-draft camp run by the NBA, Roberts spent a week playing basketball, taking physicals and blood tests, giving urine samples and getting X-rays taken.
Roberts said playing at the pre-draft camp was a hard adjustment because they had him playing small forward instead of the power forward/center role he is used to playing. Roberts said it was a challenge to guard guys half his size and try to keep up with them.
Roberts is scheduled to workout with the Atlanta Hawks on June 19, and the Memphis Grizzlies have contacted his agent for a workout in the near future.
The NBA draft will take place on June 26, but Roberts is not worried about the outcome.
"If I don't get drafted, I would be better off," Roberts said. "I will have more options as a free agent. I can look around at more teams who need my type of style."
Roberts said Europe is definitely an option if he doesn't make it into the NBA at this point. The Europe league starts in August, and if he isn't on an NBA team by then, Roberts said he will likely go to Europe and play.
Roberts is very proud of this past season and the Salukis' run into the NCAA Tournament. Roberts is grateful to all the fans who came out and supported the team at home games and on the road.
"It was a great season. We went out on top my last year, 28-8," Roberts said. "It meant a lot for this program and the community."
Roberts said that next years' Saluki team has a good chance of succeeding if they can get the right chemistry.
Roberts looks for Hairston to do big things this season and throughout his time in college.
"The team has to find a leader," Roberts said. "Jermaine Dearman or Kent Williams must step up."
Reporter Jack Piatt can be reached at jpiatt@dailyegyptian.com
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