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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MEDIA CONFERENCEApril 26, 2017Andre RobersonOklahoma City, Oklahoma Q. What is your first summertime meal going to be? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: That's a good question. Trying to find a nearby beach, crack a brew open and relax. Q. AndrĂƒÂ©, when this season started, Billy talked about this a little bit ago, nobody knew what this team would be, what it would look like, what it could become. What were your expectations when the season started? How did you guys meet, fall short? How did all that play out and what you thought at the beginning of the year? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: I thought we did great. I expected us to do big things such as make the playoffs and go beyond. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but we grew every game. Throughout the season, we grew. So proud of the guys. We fought through adversity, just like any team would, and we're learning a lot. We're a young team. We're going to come back stronger and get better. Q. It seemed by the Playoffs you had become a veteran voice on this team. Did you ever look at yourself in that situation and were kind of surprised at how you had taken a leadership role? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah, I've kind of seen it throughout the season. Just realizing though we have a lot of new guys, and guys coming in and out. You know, me being one of the guys that's been through it, this is my fourth year. I kind of show them the ropes. I started speaking up more vocally game by game, and kind of carried on to me being one of the leaders on the team. Alongside Russ and Steve, being one of the defensive anchors on the team. Just pointing guys in the right direction. So, yeah, definitely grew in that aspect. Q. The changes on the team, you play more of the three at times. How did it challenge you this year? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: It's definitely challenging, but I'm always up for it. Coming from college playing the big man to playing a guard in the NBA was definitely a challenge, and still making that transition, growing every year, just trying to get everything down. So I moved from forward in college, two and now to a three, it's definitely been a challenge, guarding different players and learning different offenses and moving off of Russell. It's been great. I always love the challenge. So it's going to be good moving forward. Q. Coach Donovan mentioned at one point in the season that you could be a star in your role here for the team. Do you feel like you're on your way or closer to being that after such a great playoff run for you? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah, I could see that. You know, I always tell myself that. Try to be in a starring role, master your craft. That's what I've been trying to do. Be one heck of a defender and build around that. Work on my offensive game. Work on scouting and stuff like that. Off the court eating habits and stuff. So I've just been building around that and trying to become a complete NBA player. Q. AndrĂƒÂ©, was it tough going through the year with the contract stuff looming? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: It was early on, but I put that to the side. You can't let that linger around. You've got to go out there and play the game that you love and play basketball and let the business take care of business. So I'm a true believer in everything takes care of itself. The man above has a plan. So, yeah, I didn't really worry about it. Q. AndrĂƒÂ©, do you have a time line for the free agency situation in the off-season? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: No. I guess we'll just see how it plays out. It was my first time going through it, so I don't really know what to expect. I just got done talking to Sam, and I'll talk to my agent here soon and kind of get both sides, so we'll see where we go from there. Q. Given what you know about contract negotiation talks in the fall, what is your confidence level that you'll be back to deal with the free agency with you and the Thunder? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Definitely want to be back. Definitely want to do anything to work it out. I love the team, love the organization, and love what we're all about, and I definitely want to stick around. So I'm pretty sure we can work something out. Q. Is that something you're excited for? You've never been a free agent before. Is that an exciting process, nervous process? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah, I guess you could say that. Nervous, obviously, but enjoying every moment of it. My first rodeo, just trying to embrace it and keep moving on. So, yeah, continue to work harder in the off-season and let everything else take care of itself. Q. You said you noticed it early on. In what ways did you notice it, hanging on? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Notice? After I didn't even get signed, I didn't know what to expect. I was kind of nervous. Then I had the talk with Sam and kind of eased things out. Then just went out there and played basketball. It was my first time going through it. I didn't know what to expect. Obviously, you know, I saw Steve and Vick, and, oh, do they want me to do that? I was a little nervous, but I had a talk with Sam, and it kind of helped. Q. How (No Microphone)? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Like I said, I believe in the man above. Everybody has their own path, and just going to go out there and play basketball, play the game I love, and everything will take care of itself. So I feel like -- Q. Can you recall any point in this season where this team made a turn and got to where they were? The 47 wins probably was unexpected by a lot of people. Do you recall any turning point in the season, the trade, post-trade, winning 7 out of 9 on the road? Anything that caught your mind and really pushed you guys toward getting to that sixth spot? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: I would say the first trade, the first trade getting Jeremy definitely was a turning point. We struggled on trying to find our identity, trying to figure out how to play off each other, and trying to gain that chemistry. It was a process. I feel like when we got Jeremy and then going to Golden State was a turning point. Playing, obviously, one of the best teams in the league. We kind of see where we were at, and we put up a good fight. That was a good turning point for us in order to build and become a playoff contender. So I definitely feel like that was a turning point for us. Q. You seemed to improve every year from your rookie year to now. What are the biggest changes you've seen from last season to this season? Then what's the changeup? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: First and foremost was my confidence, going out there and kind of getting out of my comfort zone. Definitely the mental aspect of the game, I definitely grew a lot in terms of scout, master my craft on the defensive end. Just kind of taking away certain things. As well as playing off Russ, we had a new team this year, and Russ is a leader. Trying to help him anyway I can. Different type of playing style this year. This is the first time we're all going through it, and I think we did an exceptional job. In terms of changing, I want to see in the future, continue to build my confidence on the floor, and improve my free-throw shooting obviously. Q. It may be hard to pinpoint, but what helped you build on that foundation for your confidence this season? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Billy. You know, he pulled me to the side early on, preseason. Just had a couple talks, told me he had all the confidence in the world in me and going out there and making plays. You know, helping his team go to that next level. He's been with me every step of the way, telling me things and keeping my confidence up high. So it was all him. Q. Talk about your confidence and your free-throw shooting. Was it especially during the series with Houston that your confidence in that was maybe shaken a little bit? Did it become almost a burden to go out there and try to shoot free throws? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: No, I've been working on my free throws all year long. I don't know why this year was more tough than previous. But it's something I've got to continue to improve. I've been working on it every day. Not getting the results I've wanted, but I'm sticking with it. I'm trusting the process. I'm not going to let it shake me. I'm going to go out there and continue to work hard and put up shots. Everybody goes through rough stretches and mine just happened to be in the Playoffs, I guess. So I'm just going to keep working hard, like I said. I can't let it shake me. Q. You mentioned confidence, what kind of mentality does it take that every night the other team's best players (No Microphone) what does it take to do that? Do you look forward to it? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah, definitely. I look forward to it as a challenge. Early on in my career, I guess you could say I was kind of star struck. Always seeing these guys on TV and now being up and close to them in person. You know I was kind of shaken in the moment, but I grew and grew every year. Telling myself I could compete with these guys and I could go out there and shut them down. I like challenges. I put challenges on myself every game. I do that with whoever I guard. So I try to prepare myself as much as possible. Q. You talked about how integral coach Donovan has been for you each of the two past postseasons you've gotten creative and found ways to maximize your abilities on the offensive end. What's that process been like as he's put you in those spots to cut at the right times, to use you as a screener and a roller? What's that like to see him at work? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: I love it, man. It just shows how great of a coach he is. To manipulate a defense like that and to use the way they're guarding and certain actions and different stuff, to manipulate it to our advantage, it just shows how valuable a coach he is and make those adjustments. It just gave me more confidence to go out there and play. Him believing in me to go out there and make plays, I've got to go out there and believe in myself as well, so it was great. Q. I think I asked you this earlier in the season, I didn't get a clear answer. I think it was because it was during the season, and you wanted to be nice about it. But your defense has improved a lot. Do you think that you should be NBA First Team All Defense this year? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: That definitely I feel like it. I believe I should be in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion. But like I said, everything takes care of itself, man. I just try to go out there and play the game the best I can, the game I've loved since I was a little kid, and just have fun with it, man, and enjoy it. I feel like when you do that, you don't get distracted by the outside noise. You just go out there and have fun and everything takes care of itself. Q. Free agency-wise, what is your approach? Who are the people you talk to? Everyone's got their people they're close to and get advice from, who are those people for you? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: I talk to my dad, talk to my brother. I don't really talk about it too much. I talk to Bill at times, especially throughout the season, just giving me updates and just continue to work hard and just encouragement. So it's nothing we can actually do in season to kind of change stuff. So I just take it day by day, man. Q. After the away game your dad said he was going to have to take you back to AAU days. Could you share with us what that means? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: He said that? Oh, he was my AAU coach. He's just, you know, challenge me, like any dad would. I wouldn't get into details. I don't know if he did or not. Q. He refused. ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah. Yeah, I'll just leave it at that. He challenged me. So just know I'll be better next year. Q. Is he a pretty good motivator? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah, definitely. My dad is my best friend. I've always looked up to him. So anyway I can make him proud, I'm going to go out there and try to do it. Q. Can you beat him one-on-one now? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah, yeah, I could have done that in college. He's getting a little -- Q. What do you feel like this team needs to take the next step? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: I feel like we need to make improvements. The overall game, just continue to get better with everybody as well as working on the little things. Whether it's scout, mental preparation, certain plays, taking care of our bodies, I feel like we can always grow. We're such a young team and we're going through it for the first time. We can all get better in every aspect. I feel like we're going to have a great team moving forward and we'll be better next year. Let's put it that way. Q. Is there something exciting for you kind of being a veteran on a younger team than maybe a younger player on a veteran team, that you get to kind of lead this new era or future moving forward? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Say that again. Q. Your role has changed, right? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Yeah. Q. So you were a younger player on an older, experienced team. Now you're kind of a veteran on a younger team. Do you get excited about the prospect of being able to build this future and being a leader in it? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Definitely. Definitely excited. We have a great team, great group of guys, hard workers. I've been on the other side, being the young guy, and I know what it takes. I know how the veterans approached me and certain things that worked and certain things that didn't. I'm going to try to apply it for myself, trying to teach the young guys moving forward. So it's kind of weird saying young guys. I'm four years in the league, but I'm kind of moving in that direction. Time flies, so you can always grow and continue to grow in every aspect. So you're never too young, I guess you could say. Q. Wouldn't go as far as saying you're one dimensional. But what would you say is the work of a defensive specialist in the league? That's how you're going to be perceived when you hit restricted free agency. You're going to be perceived as a defensive specialist. What do you think the work is that to the league and to the people out there? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: I definitely believe it's worth going out there and guarding the best player every night and making it tough for them. My goal throughout the season was whoever I'm guarding, keep them below their average. I feel like I did a great job for the most part. But definitely believe nobody -- how should I word this? I don't think anybody takes for granted a defensive specialist. So I think everybody sees the work. I don't really go into detail. But all the GMs, the coaches, I think they see the work, so I'm not worried about free agency. I guess you could say I'm letting it take care of itself. Q. Defense wins championships? ANDRĂƒâ€° ROBERSON: Defense wins championships. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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