Ronald Roberts, Jr., Raptors 905, Forward, 6’8, 225
(2015-16, 34.7 mpg, 10 games) 17.9 ppg, 13.0 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.8 bpg, 1.9 tpg
67.0 FG%, 60.0 FT%, 67.2 TS%, 67.0 eFG%
19.2 USG%, 14.0 OREB%, 27.9 DREB%, 21.1 REB%, 4.3 BLK%
DOB: 8/5/1991 (24) School: St. Joseph’s
Before the D-League
Roberts played four seasons at St. Joseph’s, and averaged 14. 4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game as a senior while shooting 60 percent from the field. He was named the Hawk’s Most Improved Player three times and their Most Valuable Player twice, as well as being named Third Team All-Atlantic Ten as a junior and senior. Roberts went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, then played Summer League for Philadelphia in Orlando, and Miami in Las Vegas, averaging 8.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. After being waived by the 76ers in training camp, he joined Delaware of the D-League as an affiliate player, before being traded to Santa Cruz in January, 2015. After two games in Santa Cruz, Roberts signed with the San Miguel Beermen in the Philippines. In 16 D-League games in 2014-15, Roberts averaged 17.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. Roberts played Summer League for the Toronto Raptors in 2015, averaging 10.3 points and 9.5 rebounds, before joining their D-League team after being waived from training camp in October.
What has he shown so far?
Roberts has been dominant for the Raptors so far in the early season, averaging a double-double in points and rebounds, while playing with an energy that his teammates should hope to match. Even more impressive, Roberts is averaging almost 18 points per game without having many sets run for him. 6’8 with a 7’0 wingspan, Roberts has the size and athleticism to play multiple positions, to go with very good strength and leaping ability. Roberts is at his best playing in the low post or along the baseline, taking advantage of defensive rotations off of penetration to cut to the basket, where he can finish as strong as anyone in the D-League. When he looks to post up, Roberts does a good job sealing his defender and setting a good target for the pass. He could do a better job looking to establish deeper position, though he often finds himself being guarded by bigger and/or stronger players. So, when Roberts gets the ball in the low post, more of then not, he will look to face-up and draw the defender out so he can drive by them to the rim, or on rare occasions, take a mid-range jumper. When he does look to make a post move, Roberts shows above-average footwork, including a nice spin move to reverse direction, though his touch around the basket could use some work, especially if he gets pushed out to 6 to 8 feet. Roberts is an average ballhandler, able to attack the basket in either direction, though he prefers to go right whenever he can, and able to finish around the rim with either hand. He is quick off the ground, so if given even a little space, Roberts will dunk on you.
The large majority of Roberts’ field goal attempts are around the basket, and he is incredibly efficient, and while he can have some trouble finishing around longer defenders, he uses his body well to create some space and has the strength to score through contact. Roberts’s perimeter shooting seems like it can eventually become a strength, especially in the mid-range area, though he rarely looks to shoot from there, even when open. Through 10 games, he has taken just 10 shots from 10 feet or longer, and he’s hit 6 of them. His jumper can take some time to develop as he goes into his motion, but he has a nice, high release and good follow-through. Roberts is often used to screen out on the perimeter, and he has shown some skill in the pick-and-roll game, using his good hands and athletic ability to get to the rim, but if he was to show confidence in the mid-range jumper, he is constantly open in pick-and-pop situations. Roberts can be a terror on the offensive boards, showing great instincts for positioning, along with constant working and jostling to get the missed shot. He doesn’t even after to be around the basket to make an impact, often charging in from wherever he is on the floor to get involved. Free throw shooting is an area where Roberts does need to put in a lot of work, and he may need to fix his motion to do it. The strength for his shot is almost all from his upper body, with very little from his legs, so the shot can often come out like a line drive with little arc.
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Defensively, Roberts has done a solid job considering he is often tasked with defending the opposition’s center. In a recent game, he was the primary defender of 7’2 Jordan Bachynski, and did a very good job playing physical defense in the low post to force him away from the basket. He does need to work on moving his feet better when defending the post, but he has the athleticism and reaction time to recover if beat on a first move. Roberts has also shown improvements as a defender in the pick-and-roll, getting out and hedging hard on the ballhandler and recovering quickly to his man. Roberts’ perimeter defense is a work-in-progress, but he has shown some good lateral movement, though it can be choppy at times, plus decent foot speed. Off the ball, Roberts has good instincts and awareness, and he is a very good help defender around the basket. Roberts uses his length well to close on shooters, and he does a good job looking to alter or block shots around the rim, using his leaping ability to get to shots that many might not be able to. Roberts has done an excellent job on the defensive boards, especially going strong after missed shots, no matter if they fall around him or not.
What does he need to show next?
As noted above, Roberts’ adding a more perimeter-based component to his offense will help him a lot in the long run. His ballhandling can be better, giving him the chance to drive from more than 10 feet out, and once he’s more comfortable with his jumper, adding in the ability to create his own looks off the dribble. Defensively, the perimeter is also where Roberts should work on improving, from positioning to movement to learning how to use angles to his advantage. Now, it would be great if Roberts would have a chance to work on all of this, but with how he’s being used now by the Raptors, I don’t see how much he’ll be able to accomplish during this season.
Where does he go from here?
I have no doubt that many NBA teams could use a role player like Roberts right now, especially with so many teams looking to have some smaller line-ups to use. Roberts can easily play as a small 4, and his ability to rebound, defend, and score without having sets run for him, are all bonuses. Unfortunately, he often seems like an afterthought in the Raptors’ offense, making the fact that he is scoring almost 18 points per game more incredible. With his combination of skill, energy, and physical ability, it really shouldn’t be long before he gets his shot at the NBA, and I think once he’s there, he’ll be there to stay.
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