John Roberson from Plano won against Luka Dončić in the Slovenian-Bosnian clash of Dallas stars
Cologne, Germany – Many basketball fans in the Dallas area tuned into Slovenia’s EuroBasket game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday expecting to watch Mavericks star Luka Doncic lead another victory with confidence and spirit and upset his opponent.
And viewers saw it from Dallas standing out — from the past.
John Roberson, a 2007 Plano graduate who led the Wildcats to the 2006 national championship, scored 23 points in Bosnia’s 97-93 upset victory and tormented Slovenia behind the arc with seven 3-pointers.
While Doncic struggled with shooting and wrist pain, the 5-foot-5 journeyman Roberson played with contention late and played an annoying spoiler for most in Dallas, who switched their allegiance to the Mavericks to the Slovenian national team during EuroBasket.
But not for something in Plano, where his family cheered for one of the tournament’s biggest upsets and one of the biggest milestones in Roberson’s checkered career.
“It’s a crazy feeling to go out there and play on that platform and at that level,” Roberson said. “When you’re out there, you don’t really think about what it means. You’re just out there doing your job, playing basketball, having fun, and winning means everything to us.”
Most in Dallas probably lost track of Roberson’s accomplishments in the 15 years since he played at Plano — in 2005-06 as a junior transferring from Florida and leading the Wildcats to a UIL Class 5A state championship, then as a senior, which averaged 25.4. points and 6.1 assists and earned The Dallas Morning News and Texas Basketball Coaches Player of the Year honors.
After moving to Plano and starting at Texas Tech from 2007-2011, Roberson followed the Mavericks’ rise with Dirk Nowitzki as a Finals contender and eventual 2011 champion.
But as the Mavericks transitioned from Nowitzki’s legend to Doncic’s instant stardom, Roberson’s rise as a pro took place far from the local spotlight.
Since 2011, Roberson has played for clubs in Slovenia, Switzerland, Sweden, Hungary, France, Russia, Australia, Turkey and Spain. Last season he trained in Strasbourg, France, and this summer he signed a contract to move to Manisa, Turkey.
But never in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
So how did he get the starting point guard opposite Doncic in a EuroBasket tournament he hadn’t heard of until adulthood?
Roberson’s coach in Sweden in 2012-15, Verdan Bosnic, was also the coach of the Bosnian national team until this summer. They formed a strong connection in Sweden and Bosnic approached Roberson with a question two years ago.
Would Roberson like to become a naturalized Bosnian citizen?
International Basketball Association rules allow national teams to convert one player of other heritage to the roster at a time – similar to how New Jersey-raised Slovenian center Mike Tobey pursued dual citizenship.
Roberson wondered.
In addition to national team eligibility, additional European citizenship can help American players reach higher levels and earn more money overseas. Most leagues limit the number of American players on a roster, but dual citizens like Roberson and Tobey don’t count against the quota.
“I know the history of basketball in Bosnia, and I know they love basketball,” Roberson said, perhaps referring to the section of shirtless Bosnian men who jumped and chanted throughout the second half on Sunday. “They are really passionate fans. It was an honor for me [Bosnic] really, that they would choose me to be a part of it.”
Dončić and Slovenia might wish they hadn’t.
While Slovenia paid extra defensive attention to Bosnian NBA leader Jusuf Nurkic, Roberson took advantage of the extra space behind the arc on Sunday.
With one three-pointer in the second quarter, he worked a screen behind Nurkić to lose the Slovenian defender and help Bosnia regain the lead (44-42).
Still a cringe-inducing upset threat that Slovenia would tame, right?
Less so when Roberson used a similar move on the first possession of the half to tie the game at 52.
Not even when Roberson’s final 3-pointer extended Bosnia’s lead to four points (91-87) with 3:02 left.
As with the Mavericks, Slovenia used Dončić as a short man on defense to help him conserve energy and distance. Roberson, on the other hand, often guarded Slovenian guards Goran and Zoran Dragić.
But they went one-on-one late in each half.
In the first, Roberson caught the ball in the left corner and looked at the clock to make sure he could get a good look before the halftime buzzer.
His way: the barrel-shaped Doncic, who jumped off the floor to complete the three-point attempt.
“He’s huge,” Roberson said with a laugh, “so to have him jump at me like that just threw me off.”
With four seconds left, Roberson held possession and looked to preserve Bosnia’s two-point lead when Doncic chased him toward the sideline for a foul.
Dončić patted Roberson on the back after the whistle, but the 33-year-old showed no hesitation at the time.
Roberson stepped to the line and hit both free throws for the final points in a scramble by Dallas defenders.
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