CU Buffs: Richard Roby interview - Part II

 

In part two of our interview with Colorado Basketball’s (co) all-time leading scorer, Richard Roby, we loosen things up a bit, transitioning from NBA dreams, to gambling coaches and shameless self-promotion. (See part one here.)

Here it is, for your enjoyment, in Q&A form:

BSNDenver: What is your best memory from your professional playing career?

Richard Roby: This year, there was a game where we were down 10 points in overtime, we came all the way back, and my teammate hit a buzzer-beating tip-back to send us to the final four, That was a pretty awesome moment, it was huge.

BSN: How about a personal moment?

RR: I had a game winning buzzer-beater last year, and that was the first time I actually hit a buzzer beater in my life, so that was an awesome experience.

Roby’s buzzer beater can be seen in the first few seconds of this video (warning: explicit lyrics or something)

BSN: All that time in different countries you have to have some good stories, what’s craziest thing or weirdest thing that’s happened to you?

RR: Oh man, there’s so many. I’d say the craziest thing that’s happened in my career is, my coach in Korea got put in Jail halfway through the season for throwing games the year before. On the way to the game, we didn’t see him on the bus, but they didn’t tell the American players what happened, so we get off the bus and there’s media everywhere and they finally told us what happened. He’s actually still in jail right now. That’s probably the craziest thing that has happened in my career. I don’t know if he was doing it the year I was there, but it was actually in the championship game the year before, so he threw some big games.

BSN: What’s your best memory from your playing days at CU?

RR: I think the week we beat Oklahoma, and we finally broke into the top 25, I remember that being a great feeling. Especially after the year before, we struggled, we only won four games in the Big 12, so to crack into the top 25 was huge for us.

BSN: One moment that has always stuck out to me is the poster dunk you had against KU, is that one of your favorite dunks in your career?

RR: Yeah, that is, that definitely is, that is one of my biggest memories, and biggest dunks of my career. I definitely remember that.

Said dunk:

Apologies for the vertical video on the dorm room RCA… Wait a minute, does that say the creator of the video is “Prince Richard?”

This next question needs the audio for you to fully appreciate the answer

Best part of my interview with Richard Roby #HardHittingJournalism #CUBuffs pic.twitter.com/gtq5sHr7y3

— RK (@RyanKoenigsberg) June 26, 2015

And Rich was nice enough to direct us to his highlight tape on Vimeo that has a clearer picture of the dunk (Skip to 22:43).

BSN: Do you still follow the CU program closely?

RR: I do check in, it’s difficult being overseas with the time change and that type of stuff, but I definitely see the program has been going in the right direction. I think they struggled a little bit this year, but that happens, you have to keep building, and I trust the staff. They’ve had success since they’ve been there so they definitely have given us alumni something to be happy about.

BSN: We’re you following a little closer when Cory Higgins was making a run at your scoring record?

RR: *Laughter* Aw man, that caught me off guard! I was actually in the D-League, and they were playing in the NIT, and I just never felt like it was going to be broken that quickly. So I was just watching the game and they’re like ‘Cory Higgins needs just seven points to pass Richard Roby,’ and I’m like ‘WHAT?!’ So I watched that game very closely.”

BSN: Is it safe to say you were relieved when he only tied you?

RR: I texted Cory after the game “thank you for not breaking my record,” he said ‘I didn’t want to break it so soon.’ But he did play in a lot more games than me!”

BSN: Are you still close with any of teammates?

RR: I just talked to Antoine Mcgee today, I talk to Dominique Coleman, he plays overseas too, Chris Copeland, Lamont Arrington, Jason Obazuaye, he’s going to play in that TBT with us, those are the same guys I was really close to when I was there.

BSN: Anything else you wanted to say to Buffs fans?

RR: I just want them to know I’m going to be down there in Boulder from July 7th to the 9th, so if anybody wants to come see me or say hi to me they can Facebook me and I’ll respond back!

It’s obvious Roby still has plenty of love for Boulder and the Buffs, and the fans still have it for him. It will undoubtedly be a cool moment for all parties when Roby reunites with fellow Buffs to take on the stacked field of “The Basketball Tournament.”