Will Friday Mark the Return of Andre Roberson?

Billy Donovan says he is anticipating having a full roster vs. Boston Celtics on Friday. What we all want to see is how many minutes (if any) Andre Roberson will play.

Billy Donovan says the medical staff will help determine the workload for each player. For Roberson, any minutes are going to feel as close to winning a championship as you can get without having a ring.

Sam Presti says, "He [Roberson] is about everything that is right in sports and in teams." Despite his absence from the court, Roberson has been fully invested in what Oklahoma City is trying to accomplish.

According to Presti, Roberson is showing mental toughness by keeping himself involved when he could have easily checked out.

"You can still be committed to the team and what's best for the team even when your situation is either being affected, or it's not going the way you want it to go."...."I'm happy for him, but we still have some ways to go to get to that point."

"We've been down this path a little bit before and unfortunately had some setbacks."... But his quest is a testament to me [Presti] as to why he [Roberson] is a great defender."

While fans feel sympathy for Roberson and are rooting for him to come back, it would be a stretch to call him a favorite amongst Thunder faithful. Most site his lack of offense as to why they would prefer Lu Dort to get the majority of the minutes as the defensive stopper.

Truth is Roberson is a 48 percent shooter from the floor, and the organization loves the way he can affect games in ways the average person can't see.

"The thing that makes Dre [Roberosn] a great defender is that when someone scores on him, it doesn't deter him from the next possession."..."If you're casually watching Andre [Roberson], you won't get it, but if you're truly watching and you know what to watch for, this guy, he impacts winning."

"He just doesn't' do it the way that most people, expect, want, or feel is easy to see."..."And he understands what it means to be part of a team."

Neither Donovan nor Presti is committing to Roberson being on the floor when it's time to scrimmage, but if he is, it will be one of the best moments of an already unforgettable season.

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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa