We've recently flirted with the idea of seeing Tyler Roberson at center, but after the junior forward spoke with syracuse.com, it appears as though that notion has been put to rest.
Donna Ditota recently caught up with Syracuse Orange junior Tyler Roberson for some Q&A. In the midst of the exchange, Roberson revealed that he had not been asked to play in the middle of the zone, but admitted if that (playing center) was something that would benefit the team, he'd be all for it. The exchange went like this:
Donna began, "You've unexpectedely lost a big guy who could have helped in the middle if there is foul trouble or injuries with DaJuan and/or Chino. What are your thoughts about potentially playing a little center?" To which Roberson replied,
"Nobody talked to me about it. I've never practiced at center since I've been here. But if it's something I have to do for some reason, I'll learn how to do it."
Although it would be interesting to see Roberson anchor the zone, Syracuse would figure to be less effective with him in the middle and it's hard to believe Jim Boeheim would be willing to throw Roberson at center. Nevertheless, that's exactly the response you'd hope to hear from Roberson. Not only does it show a willingness to sacrifice himself for the betterment of the team, but it also shows he's unafraid to tackle a new challenge.
In the interview Roberson also talked about adding muscle to his frame, having a new mentality and winning a state championship with current freshman Malachi Richardson. Roberson is expected to make a big jump this season -- hopefully his improved frame and new mindset will lead to more plays like the one below.
