Houston Cougars forward J’Wan Roberts (13) reacts to his slam dunk against Jackson State Tigers during the second half of an NCAA men’s college basketball game, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
In Houston’s dominant 97-40 win against Jackson State on Monday, graduate forward J’Wan Roberts made history by collecting his 63rd win in the Fertitta Center.
On Monday, the venue celebrated its 100th game. That same day Roberts passed up his former point guard, Jamal Shead, to become the winningest player in the arena’s 55 year history.
The pair share a deep bond, having been teammates for four seasons. Their camaraderie has been a cornerstone of the team’s success.
Shead recently wore a tee shirt of Roberts hitting his signature celebration, “Too Small”, to his game with the Toronto Raptors.
Despite being at different stages of their careers, the two continue to stay in touch, showing their lasting friendship they’ve built throughout their time together.
Now, Roberts has now stepped up to the challenge of being a leader for the 2024 Houston team. Some important attributes of a leader is even with power to be selfless and remain humble, and this is clearly seen in this young man.
“I never forget where I came from,” Roberts said. “The island where I lived is only 32 square miles so it’s very small.”
The odds where stacked against Roberts but he stepped up to the challenge.
“Leaving my eight-grade summer and moving to Killeen, Texas opened up many opportunities for me,” he said. “I am glad I made the decision.”
Roberts has worked his way through the ranks, as he has spent the last five seasons in Houston. He can now say he is the leader of a top program in college basketball and has many awards and honors to his name.
Roberts was recently named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the year watchlist. He also won the AAC Most Improved Player and was named second team all ACC IN 2023. In 2024, Roberts was named to the Third-Team All-Big 12 roster.
“Coming from a small island, many people don’t make it up from there,” Roberts said. “So I never forget where I came from and play with a chip on my shoulder.”
