 Feeling that his race was limiting his opportunities, Roberts declined to stay with the team when they became the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963.Roberts returned to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio for the 1966-67 season as the player/manager for the Columbus Comets of the newly formed and short lived North American Basketball League (NABL) where he played with former East High and Ohio State teammate Mel Nowell as well as former Ohio State alumni Dick Reasbeck, Gary Bradds, and Jim Doughty.Also on the team was a guard from Kent State named Gene Michael who at the time was a member of the Columbus Jets baseball team, the minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.