High-Flying Texas Guard Favors 2
Derrick Roberts, an explosive 6-foot-4, 190-pound combo guard from Nimitz High
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School in the Houston area, made his mark this summer as a player who could
jump out of the gym. But Roberts is more than simply a leaper, and schools are
recognizing his talents in other areas of the game.
Currently a few schools have offered Roberts and a few more majors are keeping
in close touch. TCU and SMU have offered, as has Colorado State. Oregon, Penn
State, and Rice have shown high interest. According to Nimitz head coach Randy
Gilmer, Roberts may have his top two favorites already.
"TCU is pushing hard," said Gilmer. "Blake (Adams, former Nimitz teammate and
TCU freshman) and him are best friends. TCU and SMU are numbers one and two on
his list right now."
The fact that TCU and SMU are in close proximity to his Houston home is a big
factor, according to Gilmer, who notes Roberts' close relationship with his
mother. But Gilmer would like for Roberts to still consider at least visiting
the out-of-state schools on his list, and Roberts is currently sorting his
visit schedule.
A fantastic athlete, Roberts is a high-riser who more often than not finishes
plays with a thunder dunk, whether it is off the drive, the alley-oop, or an
offensive put-back. But Roberts is more than your average leaper; he is a
versatile player who can play multiple positions, penetrates well, and has a
good feel for the game. Sure, it's his leaping ability that he is best known
for in the Houston area. But he’s just as much a threat to perfectly execute
the alley-oop lob as he is finishing it.
"He's really quick and a good on-the-ball defender," said Gilmer. "He handles
the ball well and could play the one, two, or three in college. He's got a
40-42 inch vertical and is a great finisher."
Some areas of his game that Roberts needs to improve upon are his perimeter
shooting and staying with his man on D.
"He needs to get stronger off of the ball (defensively)," said Gilmer. "He's
not a great spot-up shooter either."
One area where Roberts has improved in over the past year has been his
strength. Once a stringbean, he has worked hard in the weight room and has
increased his bench press 70 pounds to 240. Gilmer has seen this extra muscle
lead to extra confidence on the court for Roberts.
"Now that he's stronger he likes to challenge the big guys inside more," said
coach. "This summer he'd call me up and keep telling me who he dunked on."
Last year as a junior, Roberts played a supporting role for his team as he
played second fiddle to players such as the aforementioned Adams and Cartier
Martin (Kansas State). This year, it should be Roberts turn to shine.
Roberts is working on getting qualified. He has a GPA of 3.6 and will be
taking both the ACT and SAT the next time they are offered.
Be sure to stay tuned for the latest with Roberts' recruiting over the next few
months.
Jed Tai is a senior writer with Hoopville.com
