Lawrence Roberts (basketball) facts for kids
Roberts with Partizan in 2009
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 20, 1982 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| High school | Lamar (Houston, Texas) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2005 / Round: 2 / Pick: 55th overall |
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Pro career | 2005–2015 |
| Career history | |
| 2005–2007 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2006 | →Arkansas RimRockers |
| 2007 | Olympiacos |
| 2008–2009 | Crvena zvezda |
| 2009–2010 | Partizan |
| 2010–2011 | Efes Pilsen |
| 2011–2012 | Lietuvos rytas |
| 2012–2013 | Bayern Munich |
| 2013–2014 | Darüşşafaka |
| 2014–2015 | BCM Gravelines |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Lawrence Edward Roberts III, born on October 20, 1982, is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was 6 feet 9 inches tall and played as a power forward.
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College Basketball Journey
Lawrence Roberts started his college basketball career at Baylor University. He played there for two seasons. During his time at Baylor, he was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
In 2003, Roberts decided to transfer to Mississippi State University. This happened after some problems with the basketball program at Baylor. He quickly became a star player at Mississippi State.
Star Player at Mississippi State
In 2004, Lawrence Roberts had an amazing season. He was named a first-team All-American. He also won the award for SEC Player of the Year. He helped Mississippi State get a top-two spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time ever.
During the 2003–04 season, he scored about 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds per game. He was one of the best college players in the country. The next season, 2004–05, he continued to play well, averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Roberts even made history for Mississippi State. He recorded the school's first ever triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three different stats: points, rebounds, and assists. He achieved this while playing with a broken nose, wearing a special face mask!
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Lawrence Roberts became a professional basketball player. He played in the NBA and then spent many years playing for teams in Europe.
Playing in the NBA
In the 2005 NBA draft, Lawrence Roberts was picked by the Seattle SuperSonics. He was the 55th player chosen overall. However, he was soon traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He signed his first NBA contract with the Grizzlies in July 2005.
Roberts played for the Memphis Grizzlies for two seasons. He gained valuable experience playing against some of the best basketball players in the world.
Moving to Europe
After his time in the NBA, Roberts moved to Europe in July 2007. He signed a two-year contract with a big Greek team called Olympiacos. But he left the team before the season even started.
After a few months without a team, Roberts signed with a Serbian team, KK Crvena zvezda, in September 2008. He played there for one year.
In September 2009, Roberts tried out for the Indiana Pacers in the NBA. But he was released from their training camp roster a month later.
Success with Partizan
Just two days after leaving the Pacers, Roberts signed with another Serbian team, KK Partizan, in October 2009. This was a very successful time for him!
With Partizan, he won several championships in 2010:
- The Basketball League of Serbia championship
- The ABA League championship
- The Radivoj Korać Cup
His team also made it to the Final Four of the Euroleague in Paris, finishing in 4th place. This is one of the biggest basketball competitions in Europe.
Playing in Other European Leagues
After his success with Partizan, Roberts continued to play for different teams across Europe:
- In July 2010, he joined the Turkish team Efes Pilsen.
- In July 2011, he signed with BC Lietuvos rytas in Lithuania.
- In July 2012, he moved to Germany to play for Bayern Munich.
- In October 2013, he returned to Turkey to play for Darüşşafaka.
- His last professional team was BCM Gravelines in France, where he signed in October 2014. He left the team in February 2015 for personal reasons, marking the end of his playing career.
Personal Life
Lawrence Roberts is part of a well-known family. He is the son of Lawrence E. "Butch" Roberts Jr. and Cynthia Roberts. His aunt is Robin Roberts, who is a famous sportscaster and co-anchor of Good Morning America. His grandparents were Colonel Lawrence E. Roberts Sr. and Lucimarian Roberts.
