|
 Like
the city he was born in, lives in and coaches in,
St. John's head coach Norm Roberts is always on the
move. A coach that personifies the qualities of hard
work, passion and "doing things the right way,"
Roberts' determination, knowledge and fervor has St.
John's poised to take the next steps toward success.
A local product, Roberts was born in Queens, N.Y.,
and attended Springfield Gardens High School before
starring on the hardwood for Queens College. While
some college basketball fans grew up following Duke
and North Carolina, Roberts grew up "always dreaming
of St. John's."
That dream became a reality as Roberts was named the
18th men's basketball coach in St. John's University
history on April 13, 2004. Roberts' attention to
detail and mind for the game helped the Red Storm
regain recognition and respect on the national
scene.
In only one season on the Red Storm sidelines,
Roberts has revitalized the basketball program and
has made St. John's once again a formidable
competitor in the BIG EAST. First-year
accomplishments for Roberts and his staff included
victories over then No. 17 NC State, then No. 21
Pittsburgh and the championship of the 2004 Holiday
Festival at Madison Square Garden. The Red Storm
also defeated longtime conference rival Georgetown,
as Roberts and his staff - made up exclusively of
New Yorkers - began to return the luster to its
storied men's basketball program.
Guiding a team that was lean on experience and
limited in depth, Roberts challenged each player to
maximize his potential and witnessed the squad grow
together from practice to practice, day to day and
week to week. Effort was rarely a question for the
often-outmanned group, as three Red Storm regulars
averaged more than 30 minutes per game for the
season, and 17 of St. John's 27 contests were
decided by 10 points or fewer. Even in losses,
Roberts and St. John's brought a competitive team to
the hardwood, night in and night out.
Approaching the 2005-06 season, Roberts' team
features his second wave of recruits, one that gives
the Red Storm much-needed depth and a major shot of
athleticism. Combining the influx of new talent with
a core group of continually-improving returnees, a
buzz about St. John's has returned to the city in
which Roberts grew up.
Up Through The Ranks
Roberts arrived at St. John's after serving one year
as the Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach at the
University of Kansas, where he worked for Jayhawks
coach Bill Self. Kansas posted a 24-9 record during
the 2003-04 season and advanced to the Elite Eight
of the NCAA Tournament.
Roberts served under Self at three different
institutions, with one year at Illinois as the
Associate Head Coach (2002-03), three seasons on
staff at Tulsa (1997-98 to 1999-00) and two years at
Oral Roberts (1995-96 to 1996-97). During his
Division I coaching career, Roberts-assisted teams
compiled an overall record of 215-76 for an
impressive .739 winning percentage.
At Kansas, Roberts' primary duties included
recruiting and scouting, as well as perimeter player
development. The Jayhawks signed Rice High School
star Russell Robinson the year Roberts was with KU.
During his time in Champaign, Ill., Roberts and Self
led the Fighting Illini to three NCAA appearances,
including the 2001 Elite Eight and a 27-8 record.
Reputed as one of the top recruiters in the nation,
Roberts was the driving force behind a top-10
recruiting class in 2002 that included McDonald's
All-American Dee Brown, James Augustine, Aaron
Spears, Deron Williams and Kyle Wilson.
At Tulsa, Roberts was part of two NCAA Tournament
teams, including the 1999-2000 squad that posted a
32-5 record and made an improbable run to the NCAA
round of eight. Tulsa posted a combined record of
74-27 during Roberts' three seasons on the bench.
His tenure with the Golden Hurricanes followed a
two-year stint with Oral Roberts, during which he
helped lead the Golden Eagles to an appearance in
the 1997 Postseason NIT. With Self, Roberts helped
guide Oral Roberts to a combined 39-16 record over
two seasons.
Big Apple Roots
A 1987 graduate of Queens College with a bachelor's
degree in health and physical education, Roberts is
the local school's third all-time leading scorer
with 1,719 points. He also is the career leader in
steals and assists, and had his number (15) retired
by his alma mater in 1993.
His first job out of college was under legendary
high school coach Jack Curran at Archbishop Molloy
in Queens, where he spent three years as the head
freshman coach and an assistant on the varsity
squad. While at Archbishop Molloy, he had the
opportunity to coach many noted New York players,
including all-time New Jersey Nets assist leader
Kenny Anderson.
Roberts went to Oral Roberts following four years as
the head coach at his alma mater, Queens College.
Roberts was Division II Knights' mentor for four
seasons, from 1991-92 to 1994-95. |
