Upcoming restricted Oklahoma City Thunder Free Agent Andre Roberson named to NBA All Defensive Team

Perennial Oklahoma City Thunder stalwart defender Andre Roberson received long-overdue recognition for his efforts while being named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team.

This is the 6’7 guard/forward’s first end-of-season NBA award.

Roberson, an upcoming restricted free-agent, gained 53 media votes to join fellow All-Defensive Second Team members Tony Allen, Danny Green, Anthony Davis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Among the league’s most effective, and until now, undervalued defensive cogs, last November Andre Roberson gained vocal All-Defensive Team campaigning from MVP-Finalist teammate Russell Westbrook

Westbrook concerning Roberson’s staunch defensive commitment:

"He (Roberson) actually locks up and defends and people can't score. It's actually one-on-one defense. I don't care about all the defensive numbers...When you're on the court and you see the things he does defensively and people that actually watch the games and know what it means to actually guard somebody, then they can see what All-Defensive team is."

Though he averaged just 6.6 PPG on 26/49 3P/FT shooting while starting 79 contests, Roberson’s All-Defensive inclusion may render the fifth-year Thunder’s contract more difficult to retain for an Oklahoma City team approaching luxury-tax status.

Nevertheless, OKC management can match any potential offer for Roberson.

This season, Roberson graded among the league’s premier defenders while generally holding the opposing team’s top offensive option to -4.1 percent below their usual FG%.

Other Oklahoma City Thunder to earn 2017 All-NBA Defensive Team votes include:

• Russell Westbrook (10 votes, five first-team votes)
• Steven Adams (One second-place vote)