Former Flyer Roberts seeks gig with Kings

After a successful stint in Israel, former Dayton Flyer Brian Roberts is hoping to book his place at the Sacramento Kings’ summer-league team in Las Vegas.

File photo by Dave Munch After a successful stint in Israel, former Dayton Flyer Brian Roberts is hoping to book his place at the Sacramento Kings’ summer-league team in Las Vegas.

ENLARGE PHOTO

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer 11:24 PM Monday, June 15, 2009

His normally reliable outside shot deserted him midway through his rookie pro season, but former University of Dayton guard Brian Roberts turned that into an opportunity to showcase other aspects of his game.

Playing for Galil Gilboa in the Israeli League, Roberts averaged a team-high 15.5 points, feasting mostly on mid-range jumpers and slashes to the basket. He shot 56.3 percent from the field and 88.5 from the foul line, but he hit just 32.1 percent on 3-pointers.

“I don’t know what happened to my 3-point shot in the middle part of the year,” he said. “When I came back to the States for Christmas and went back, the whole rest of the year, my 3-pointer wasn’t there. It happens sometimes. But I never let it get me discouraged.

“Overall, I was pleased. We made it to the final four in Israel, which is a big deal.”

Roberts hopes to land a spot on the Sacramento Kings’ summer-league team in Las Vegas next month. After dropping Josh Nochimson as his agent, Roberts was briefly represented by Jason Levien, who became the Kings’ assistant general manager.

Nochimson is the central figure in a recruiting scandal at Connecticut. A former student manager for the Huskies, he alledgedly broke NCAA rules by supplying a prospect with meals, lodging and other benefits. He also is being sued by the Detroit Pistons’ Richard Hamilton, who has accused Nochimson of stealing as much as $1 million while working as his personal assistant.

“I switched agents long before that ever came out,” Roberts said. “I haven’t talked to him in a long time.”

Asked why he made the change, Roberts replied: “It was just pretty much I had a better feeling and opportunity with (Levien). He took over for Josh right away. It wasn’t a bad transition.

“It was sad to see (Nochimson) put in that light when things came out.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Share this article