OKC Thunder: The Andre Roberson injury is a mystery

The OKC Thunder are yet to release a timetable for Andre Roberson’s injury. After almost two years of inactivity, the mystery surrounding the injury is perplexing.

I remember where I was when Andre Roberson last played for the OKC Thunder. I was on a shift at work when a friend sent me a text, letting me know that I needed to see what happened. I wished I hadn’t. Watching Roberson slip, hit the floor and then pull himself back off the court was sickening.

The expression on his face to this day makes me sad. Like every true OKC Thunder fan, I love Andre Roberson. His full commitment to the team, his give it all mentality is inspiring. Watching him in agony on the court was gut-wrenching.

The injury stopped a really good run the OKC Thunder were on. They were one fo the best teams from Christmas Day until January 27th when Roberson went down. It cost the team a higher seed and a deeper playoff run.

However, what is more frustrating is that Roberson cannot seem to get back on the court. I am sure it is more frustrating for the man himself, but not knowing what is going on is incredibly annoying.

Head coach Billy Donovan basically said that he is better than he was last year and it is just too hard for him to say when Roberson will be back playing.

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What is especially confusing is that Roberson was saying that he was fully ready to play at the start of the season. I understand with the history of the injury there should be caution.

He did have excessive inflammation which had to be surgically repaired. He also had a second setback where he suffered an Avulsion fracture. See the previous Thunderous Intentions article for more on these issues.

What I don’t understand, in this age of modern medicine, why a more definitive answer cannot be provided. Nor do I understand why he would say he is ready when he clearly is not.

Is this a case where the OKC Thunder are keeping the player out for their own welfare? I hope it is but I also hope that some clarity can be shed on the issue for everyone’s sake.