Isaiah Roby
A versatile forward with a 7-foot wingspan, he carved out an NBA career through defensive hustle and relentless work in the G League.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American basketball player·Birthday: February 3·Generation Z
Biography
Isaiah Roby's professional basketball story is one of adaptation and persistence. At the University of Nebraska, he evolved from a raw talent into a multifaceted forward, showcasing an ability to handle the ball, defend multiple positions, and stretch the floor. Drafted in the second round in 2019, his early NBA years were a shuffle of teams—Dallas, Oklahoma City, San Antonio—where he fought for consistent rotation minutes. Roby's value lies in his unique physical tools and a modern skill set that fits today's positionless game. While his mainstage opportunities have been intermittent, his commitment is reflected in his ongoing development in the NBA G League, where he continues to refine the two-way game that makes him a compelling prospect for any roster seeking flexibility.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Isaiah was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Isaiah Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Isaiah's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played three seasons of college basketball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, improving his scoring average each year.
- Selected with the 45th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons and traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
- Averaged a career-high 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2021-22 season.
- Has appeared in over 150 NBA regular season games across multiple franchises.
Did You Know?
He wore number 22 for the Oklahoma City Thunder as a tribute to his former Nebraska teammate, point guard Glynn Watson Jr.
In high school in Dixon, Illinois, he was a state champion in the triple jump.
He majored in communications at the University of Nebraska.
“I just try to be versatile, guard multiple positions, and knock down the open shot.”
