His NBA rights were traded by Phoenix to the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he jumped to for the 1975–76 season.

After being waived by the Lakers, he put his professional basketball career on hold (save for a season in Italy), as Roche pursued his J.D.

Roche is the first in NBA history to hit 7 three-point field goals in a single quarter.

Roche has also taught Remedies as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

He is a nine time singles champion of the Denver City Open tennis tournament in his various age groups and a recipient of the Sam & Sid Milstein Award as "outstanding senior male tennis player" for the year 2014 in the Intermountain Colorado region.