Rick Roberson (July 7, 1947 – May 3, 2020) was an American professional basketball player who played in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA) for the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
(1969–71),
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
(1971–73),
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
(1973–74),
New Orleans Jazz (1974–75) and
Kansas City Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Pacific Division ( ...
(1975–76).
Born and raised in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
, Roberson played basketball at
Mitchell High School, from which he graduated in 1965.
College career
Roberson said he had a chance to be the first African-American basketball player at
Memphis State
}
The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students.
The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering, the Center for Ea ...
, but he chose to attend the
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,00 ...
.
As a sophomore in 1966–67, he led the 17-9 Bearcats in scoring with 14.3 points per game (ppg) as well as rebounding with 12.5 rebounds per game (rpg).
[http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/cinn/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/1011UCMBKMEDIASUP.pdf ] On January 17, 1967, he notched a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots against
Bradley University
Bradley University is a private university in Peoria, Illinois. Founded in 1897, Bradley University enrolls 5,400 students who are pursuing degrees in more than 100 undergraduate programs and more than 30 graduate programs in five colleges. The ...
.
No Bearcat would have another triple-double for 30 years, when
Kenyon Martin accomplished the feat in 1997.
Roberson's 10 blocks remains a Cincinnati single-game record, tied two years later by his Bearcats teammate
Jim Ard as well as by Eric Hicks and Martin.
He was named All-
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest.
History
The MVC was established ...
(MVC).
In 1967–68 as a junior, he again led the 18-8 Bearcats in both scoring (16.3 ppg) and rebounding (12.3 rpg). In his senior year of 1968–69, for the third consecutive season he paced the team in both scoring (16.1 ppg) and rebounding (12.6 rpg) as the Bearcats went 17–9.
He was again named All-MVC.
For his career, Roberson ranks fourth in all-time career rebounding average (12.4), behind only
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Robertson played ...
,
Jack Twyman
John Kennedy Twyman (May 21, 1934 – May 30, 2012) was an American professional basketball player and sports broadcaster. Twyman is a namesake of the NBA's Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award. Twyman was inducted into the Naismith Basketb ...
and
Connie Dierking
Conrad William Dierking (October 2, 1936 – December 29, 2013) was an American professional basketball player from 1958 to 1971.
Early life
Connie Dierking was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up on Long Island, where he starred in basketbal ...
.
NBA career
Roberson was selected in the first round (15th overall) of the
1969 NBA draft
The 1969 NBA draft was the 23rd annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 7 and May 7, 1969, before the 1969–70 season. In this draft, fourteen NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college bas ...
by the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
of the NBA and the
New York Nets
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
of the
ABA.
A 6'9" and
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
/
forward
Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward.
Forward may also refer to:
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* Forward (surname)
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* Forward (association football)
* Forward (basketball), including:
** Point forward
** Power forward (basketball)
** Sm ...
, he helped the Lakers win the 1969–70 NBA Western Division with a 46–36 record and advance to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
in seven games.
With
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman Chamberlain (; August 21, 1936 – October 12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player who played as a Center (basketball), center. Standing at tall, he played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 yea ...
limited to 12 games due to a knee injury, Roberson helped shore up the Lakers' front line and he saw significant playing time.
In 74 games, he averaged 27.1 minutes per game, 8.7 points per game (ppg)and 9.1 rebounds per game (rpg).
He scored a season- and then career-high 26 points on February 8, 1970, against the
San Diego Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was established in 1967, and pl ...
.
The following season, 1970–71 and with the Lakers and with Chamberlain healthy, Roberson's playing time decreased to 65 games and 14.0 minutes per game, with 5.2 ppg and 4.7 ppg. In the playoffs, the Lakers would reach the Western Conference Finals, but ultimately lose in five games to the
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
.
Prior to his third season of 1971–72, he was traded to the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
for a first-round draft pick and two second-round picks. For the Cavaliers that season, he made the switch from center to his more natural position of power forward. As a starter, in 63 games he posted career highs of 35.0 minutes per game, 13.1 ppg and 12.7 rpg.
On March 22, 1972, he set a new career-high with 29 points against the Lakers.
He especially showed in one game what a force he was as a rebounder. He will go down as Damir Donlagic's hero and mentor. On March 4, 1972, he grabbed 25 rebounds in one game, a team record that still stands and was finally tied in 2014 by
Anderson Varejão
Anderson França Varejão (; born September 28, 1982) is a Brazilian former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), 13 of those with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With a career that spanned ...
.
The following season, 1972–73, his stat line was much the same although he primarily again played center as he averaged 12.6 ppg and 11.2 rpg with a career-best 2.2 assists per game.
He also excelled on defense, as no center scored more than 22 points in a game against him the entire season, including
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran.
Given name Karim
* Karim A ...
.
Prior to the 1973–74 season, he was traded to the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
. In 69 games he averaged just under 30 minutes per game, averaging a new career-best 13.5 ppg to go with 10.2 rpg. An early-season article in ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' stated of Roberson, ''"Despite being one of the NBA's shortest centers, and perhaps its lightest, he has been the Blazer most responsible for the team's turnabout. . . Roberson has already missed five entire games, plus all but three minutes of another, with a leg injury. In his absences, Portland's record is 2-4. With Roberson on full-time duty, the Blazers are 5-1, the only loss coming last week against the streaking Bulls, who made Portland their 11th straight victim. No center has scored more than 14 points against Roberson, and more important, his
Dave Cowens
David William Cowens ( ; born October 25, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player and NBA head coach. At , he played the center position and occasionally played power forward. Cowens spent most of his playing career with the B ...
-like quickness and agility at stepping out from the middle and pop-switching on smaller, supposedly faster men have allowed the Blazers to employ an aggressive switching defense. In games started by Roberson, Portland has given up an average of 102 points, 10.3 fewer than last season. 'I'd be bulljiving myself if I thought I could stand in the middle and block a lot of shots the way the real big dudes do,' says Roberson. 'I've got to come out and play the small guys. You know, face-to-face. I got to get up on 'em and spread out so they can't drive by or pass around me to the big guy I've switched off. Being active like that means that I have to take some risks with my body. I don't think I'm injury prone. It's just the way I play that causes me to get hurt sometimes'."''
On February 12, 1974, he exploded for a new career-high 37 points in one game against the Phoenix Suns.
However, after the one season in Portland, Roberson was on the move again, this time traded to the
New Orleans Jazz for the 1974–75 season, his sixth season in the NBA and fourth team. But injuries again limited him, this time to just 16 games, and 7.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg.
In 1975–76 he was on the move again after being waived by the Jazz and signing with the
Kansas City Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Pacific Division ( ...
.
With the Kings, he ties his career-best of 74 games, but averaged only 9.6 minutes per game with 2.5 ppg and 3.1. His seventh season was his last in the NBA
In seven seasons he averaged 9.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He played in 423 games and had a .440 field goal percentage, .585 free throw percentage, 3,826 points, 3,522 rebounds and 591 assists.
Sources
Career stats
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberson, Rick
1947 births
2020 deaths
African-American basketball players
American men's basketball players
Basketball players from Memphis, Tennessee
Centers (basketball)
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball players
Cleveland Cavaliers players
Kansas City Kings players
Los Angeles Lakers draft picks
Los Angeles Lakers players
New Orleans Jazz players
New York Nets draft picks
Portland Trail Blazers players
Power forwards (basketball)
20th-century African-American sportspeople
21st-century African-American people