Isaiah Roby

Isaiah Roby's Biography

Isaiah Roby – A Story of Perseverance & Journey to Pro Basketball

Isaiah Roby, an American professional basketball player born on the 3rd of February, 1998, has an intriguing journey marked by exceptional talent and steadfast determination. He currently plays for ratiopharm Ulm, an esteemed team belonging to the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) in Germany.

Before venturing overseas, Roby grew as an athlete in his homeland. His basketball journey began at Dixon High School based in Dixon, Illinois. Despite a dismal team record in the previous season of 1–28, Roby joined Dixon and proved to be a driving force behind the team’s momentum. Throughout his final three years at Dixon, the team metrics transformed dramatically to a laudable 76–13 record, mirroring Roby’s vital role within the team.

As a junior, Roby showcased impressive statistics, averaging 12.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.6 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game. His exceptional performance earned him second-team all-state Class 3A honors. In his senior year, his performance surged further to 19.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 blocks per game. His off-charts performance resulted in him being eighth in the Illinois Mr. Basketball voting and second-team all-state as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Concluding his time at Dixon High School, Roby left behind a legacy cemented with the most career rebounds and blocks in the school’s history and second-most in comments. Sports platforms recognized his talents rating him a three-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports, and a four-star recruit by Rivals. Roby’s decisions surrounding his future led him to commit to Nebraska on the 22nd of October, 2014.

At Nebraska, Roby encountered a challenge in the form of a pelvic stress reaction during the 2016-17 freshman season, pushing back his college debut. Despite the setback, Roby performed impressively in 30 games, accruing an average of 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, along with 25 blocks, ranking fifth-most by a Nebraska freshman. During his time at Nebraska, Roby transformed physically, adding considerable weight to his athletic body.

Roby’s performance continued to soar as a sophomore with an average of 8.7 points and team-high scores of 6.3 rebounds and two blocks per game. His leadership also showed in his 57% shooting accuracy, alongside his remarkable 63 blocks, the highest by a Nebraska player since 2001.

In his junior season, Roby’s consistency shined with 11.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, starting in every one of the 35 games. He furthered Nebraska Cornhuskers’ successful run in the 2019 Big Ten tournament.

Roby took a crucial step in his Basketball journey by declaring for the 2019 NBA draft on March 30, 2019, though without hiring an agent. Drafted 45th by the Detroit Pistons, he was quickly traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks, however, assigned Roby to play in the NBA G League season with the Texas Legends. He was subsequently challenged by plantar fasciitis, causing him to miss several games.

Roby’s journey with the Mavericks ended in a trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Justin Patton and cash considerations on January 24, 2020. However, his time with the Mavericks did not include any appearance in a game. He debuted with the Thunder briefly in January 2020, following which he was transferred to the Oklahoma City Blue, moving back to the Thunder roster for just one day.

For the Thunder, he achieved a season-high 19 points with seven rebounds and two blocks against the Orlando Magic on December 29, 2020. Later, he set a career-high with 30 points on March 28, 2022, against the Portland Trail Blazers.

In a surprising turn, Roby was waived by the Thunder on July 3, only to be claimed off waivers by the San Antonio Spurs two days later. Here he marked his debut on October 19, however, less than eight months later, on March 3, 2023, he was waived by the Spurs.

On the 9th of April, 2023, Roby signed with the New York Knicks, but was waved off on the 18th of October without having played a single game. In a whirl of affiliations and trades, Roby re-signed with New York just three days later only to be waived off again. His twist of fate led him to be named for the opening night roster for the Westchester Knicks on November 9, 2023.

Roby then took his talents overseas, signing with ratiopharm Ulm of the Basketball Bundesliga on July 19, 2024. His transition into the European basketball scene stands as the latest chapter in his captivating journey through the world of professional basketball.