Anthony Roberts (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Jerome Roberts was an American
professional basketball for the Denver Nuggets
and Washington Bullets in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). He was selected in the first round as the 21st pick in the 1977 NBA Draft
by the Nuggets and spent five seasons playing the NBA.
Anthony Roberts was shot and killed while arguing with two men in the parking lot outside his apartment complex on March 29, 1997. He was 42 at the time.
. He attended Riverside High School in his hometown.
(ORU) from 1973–74 to 1976–77. During his four-year career, he averaged 21.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, including a senior
season in which he averaged 34.0 points and 9.2 rebounds. He is only one of two players in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I history, along with Hall of Famer Pete Maravich
, to score 60 or more points in a single game versus a Division I opponent more than once. Roberts scored 66 points on February 19, 1977 against North Carolina A&T and 65 against Oregon
on March 9, 1977. His total against Oregon came in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament
(NIT), setting the still-standing tournament record.
In 108 career games, Roberts made 1,006 of 2,007 field goal
attempts while finishing with 2,341 points and exactly 800 rebounds. He earned honorable mention All-America
n honors for his final three years as a Titan
. Later on, Roberts would become enshrined in the ORU athletics hall of fame as a member of their inaugural class.
. The Denver Nuggets
selected him with the 21st overall pick.
He spent his first three NBA seasons with Denver while qualifying for the postseason in each of his first two. He was eventually waived by the Nuggets and then signed by the Washington Bullets for the 1980–81 season. On September 2, 1981, the Bullets also waived Roberts, and he would not re-join another NBA team until February 16, 1984 when the Nuggets signed him to a 10-day contract. Nine days later he was signed for the rest of the season, where he would finish out his NBA career. The Nuggets waived him once again on July 25, 1984, and no other NBA team ever signed him. For his NBA career, Roberts scored 1,658 points, grabbed 837 rebounds and recorded 265 assists in 213 games.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball for the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
and Washington Bullets in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). He was selected in the first round as the 21st pick in the 1977 NBA Draft
1977 NBA Draft
The 1977 NBA Draft was the 31st annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1977 before the 1977–78 season. In this draft, 22 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
by the Nuggets and spent five seasons playing the NBA.
Anthony Roberts was shot and killed while arguing with two men in the parking lot outside his apartment complex on March 29, 1997. He was 42 at the time.
Early life
Roberts was born in Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
. He attended Riverside High School in his hometown.
College
Anthony Roberts attended Oral Roberts UniversityOral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
(ORU) from 1973–74 to 1976–77. During his four-year career, he averaged 21.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, including a senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
season in which he averaged 34.0 points and 9.2 rebounds. He is only one of two players in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I history, along with Hall of Famer Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
, to score 60 or more points in a single game versus a Division I opponent more than once. Roberts scored 66 points on February 19, 1977 against North Carolina A&T and 65 against Oregon
Oregon Ducks men's basketball
Oregon Ducks men’s college basketball is an intercollegiate basketball program that competes in the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference, representing the University of Oregon. The Ducks play their home games at Matthew Knight Arena. Oregon, then coached by Howard Hobson, won...
on March 9, 1977. His total against Oregon came in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
(NIT), setting the still-standing tournament record.
In 108 career games, Roberts made 1,006 of 2,007 field goal
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
attempts while finishing with 2,341 points and exactly 800 rebounds. He earned honorable mention All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n honors for his final three years as a Titan
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles men's basketball
The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represent Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The school's team currently competes in The Summit League. The team earned an automatic berth in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. It was their third...
. Later on, Roberts would become enshrined in the ORU athletics hall of fame as a member of their inaugural class.
Professional
On June 10, 1977, Roberts was selected in the first round of that year's NBA Draft1977 NBA Draft
The 1977 NBA Draft was the 31st annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1977 before the 1977–78 season. In this draft, 22 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
. The Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
selected him with the 21st overall pick.
He spent his first three NBA seasons with Denver while qualifying for the postseason in each of his first two. He was eventually waived by the Nuggets and then signed by the Washington Bullets for the 1980–81 season. On September 2, 1981, the Bullets also waived Roberts, and he would not re-join another NBA team until February 16, 1984 when the Nuggets signed him to a 10-day contract. Nine days later he was signed for the rest of the season, where he would finish out his NBA career. The Nuggets waived him once again on July 25, 1984, and no other NBA team ever signed him. For his NBA career, Roberts scored 1,658 points, grabbed 837 rebounds and recorded 265 assists in 213 games.