Andre Roberson's Next Challenge the NBA

Colorado basketball star Andre Roberson has decided to forego his senior season in Boulder for the challenge of the NBA. He notified coach Tad Boyle of his decision on Sunday. The 2013 NBA draft is comprised of two rounds and will be held on Thursday, June 27th.

Roberson is generally regarded as a mid 2nd round pick, but that may change as teams get the opportunity to work him out in person over the next two months. Roberson has been one of the top rebounders in the country each of the last two years, and was also named the Pac-12's Defensive Player of the Year this past season. In addition to taking the ball off the glass, steals and blocked shots have also been mainstays of Roberson's game.

He is known as a fierce competitor, and that mindset will make him a valuable addition to most NBA rosters. While his offensive skill set is still developing, his intense defense and nose for the ball will keep Andre in the mix come draft time. On top of that, Andre has shown himself to be a TEAM player who is dedicated to the success of the team much more than personal glory or statistics.

The NBA will offer a great challenge to Roberson, but as the first notable recruit for head coach Tad Boyle, Roberson knows all about challenges. Prior to his arrival in Boulder, Colorado had only been to the NCAA Tournament two times in over 40 years. Since Andre took the court for the Buffs, Colorado has been to March Madness twice and made it to the NIT championship game in the other year. To put it bluntly, Roberson has helped head coach Tad Boyle turn Colorado into a basketball school with some of the most vocal fans in the Pac-12. Indeed, every team in the league knows about the C-Unit.

Colorado is considered to be loaded with talent going into next season, with some prognosticators having the Buffs penciled in as a top 15 team. The loss of Roberson may temper expectations a bit, but he has blazed a trail that other recruits are following to Boulder. I want to join all Colorado fans in thanking Andre for his time and dedication to the university. Although CU has had other players over the last 20 years that moved on to NBA careers, Roberson has arguably done the most to lift his team into the realm of teams that need to be reckoned with on an annual basis when it comes time for the Big Dance.

Thanks for the memories and good luck Andre!