André Roberson
A defensive specialist whose tenacious on-ball pressure and shot-blocking prowess made him one of the NBA's most feared perimeter stoppers.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American basketball player·Birthday: December 4·Millennials
Biography
André Roberson carved out a vital NBA career not with flashy scoring, but with a relentless, disruptive defensive presence. At the University of Colorado, he was a rebounding force and a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, a rarity for a guard/forward. Drafted in the first round, he found his perfect fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where his length, athleticism, and obsessive focus became essential to the team's identity. He routinely drew the assignment of guarding the opponent's best perimeter player, from James Harden to Klay Thompson. His peak season in 2017 earned him All-Defensive Second Team honors, solidifying his reputation. A devastating patellar tendon injury in 2018 derailed his momentum, but his journey represents the pure, often undervalued art of defensive mastery in a league obsessed with offense.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
André was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When André Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
André's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2017 for his lockdown perimeter defense.
- Won the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award twice while playing for the Colorado Buffaloes.
- Was a key starter for the Oklahoma City Thunder teams that featured Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, valued specifically for his defensive role.
- Led the Pac-12 in rebounding as a 6'7" guard/forward during his junior season at Colorado.
Did You Know?
His sister, Amber Roberson, played professional basketball in Europe.
Despite being known for defense, he scored a career-high 19 points in a playoff game against the Houston Rockets in 2017.
He is one of the few players in modern NBA history to be a starter while averaging fewer than 5 points per game for a season, highlighting his specialized role.
He missed the entire 2018-19 NBA season recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon.
“My job is to make the other team's best player work for every single inch.”
