Volume 124 Issue 131
kansan.com
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
COMMENTARY
Robinson a worthy draft pick
G given college basketball's current age of the "One-and-Done" player, the collegiate level is nothing more than a speed bump on an elite recruit's road to the NBA.
It often doesn't matter how well the player performs in college; the bright lights of the NBA are hard to resist, and they jump to the league too soon.
Several times, a college basketball player takes the podium, declares his entrance to the NBA draft and everyone in the room sees train wreck from a mile away - except the one making the announcement.
Thomas Robinson's Monday morning declaration to the NBA draft was not, and will not, be a regretful decision.
For all the mind-boggling NBA announcements each year, few are as well deserved as Robinson's official farewell to Kansas.
Robinson arrived at Kansas in 2009 as an athletic forward from Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He was raw, but Robinson's motor and energy was fun to watch, even in his 7.2 minutes per game as a freshman. He was capable of achieving greatness, but I don't think anybody could have imagined his next two years at Kansas.
Robinson entered his sophomore year as the first post off the bench following the Morris twins. Despite playing less than 15 minutes a game, his staggering physique and potential caught the attention of NBA scouts. All was good in the life of Robinson: Kansas was undefeated, and Robinson took his game to a new level. However, starting in late December of 2010, Robinson faced more tragedy in a month than most will know in a lifetime.
I still remember the feeling on Jan. 22, 2011, when former director of basketball operations Barry Hinson informed the students Thomas' mother, Lisa, had passed away the night before. All the excitement surrounding the matchup with No. 11 Texas turned into sadness. I still remember when Hinson said Thomas would still play; the chills I got when Robinson checked into the game were unbelievable.
Baseball team struggles with consistency
Robinson had just lost both his grandparents and mother in the span of five weeks, but he still played against Texas. Even through the sorrow and the loss, basketball became more than just a game for Robinson - it was his escape.
Robinson turned the tragedy into motivation and his All-American junior campaign carried Kansas to the NCAA National Championship Game last week. Robinson's decision to stay his junior season at Kansas even improved his draft stock.
ESPN.com projects Robinson as a top-five pick, and he could go as early as the second-overall pick.
So, when Robinson stood up on that podium, the Jayhawk Nation cheered proudly.
Congratulations, Thomas. You deserve it.
- Edited by Gabrielle Schock
PAGE 6
DRAFTING DREAMS
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
Junior forward Thomas Robinson answers questions about his decision to declare for the NBA Draft at Monday's press conference in Allen Fieldhouse. Robinson will forgo his senior season at the University.
JAYHAWK HEADS TO NBA
MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kansan.com
In five years, Thomas Robinson's jersey will hang at the top of Allen Fieldhouse due to his first team All-American status. Until then, Robinson's future no longer rests with Kansas basketball.
In a press conference at Allen Fieldhouse, with his younger sister Jayla to his right and coach Bill Self to his left, Robinson said he will bypass his senior season at the University and declare for the NBA Draft.
"I've been up all night trying to come up with a thank you note or something to show my appreciation, but I couldn't get anything."
Robinson said. "I think it's beyond words what this program meant to me."
The announcement was no surprise to anyone, as coach Self said he's known this decision was coming from Robinson since last summer.
To say it's been a highly publicized three years at Kansas for Robinson would be an understatement.
On January 21, 2011, Robinson received a phone call from Jayla, who told him that his mother, Lisa Robinson, died of a heart attack. Both Thomas and Jayla had just lost their grandmother and grandfather the previous month.
Robinson still played the following day against Texas at Allen
Fieldhouse, where the Jayhawks suffered a 74-63 loss that ended their 69-game home winning streak.
But the events that followed Robinson's tragedy are what made him a legend at Kansas. After playing just 14.6 minutes per game in the 2010-2011 season, Robinson transformed into a Player of the Year finalist, averaging 31.7 minutes per game while scoring 17.7 points and rebounding 11.7 missed shots per game.
"He's a guy that's probably as loved as anybody that's played here in a long, long time." Self said.
DraftExpress.com currently has Robinson as the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, and nbadraft.net has Robinson slated second. Even with the high projections, Robinson gave a pitch to NBA teams who may be interested in him.
Current Tulsa coach and former Kansas assistant Danny Manning even stood in the back of the room as Robinson made his announcement.
"I'm going to be a workhorse," Robinson said. "I'm going to do what everybody else is not going to want to do."
And while his playing days at Kansas may be over, Robinson said he does plan to pursue a college degree.
Manning worked with him for the past three years, helping Robinson become a likely top five draft pick.
er would want me to get," Robinson said.
"That's something that my moth-
For now, Robinson will live in the gym. The player who developed so much in his time at Kansas will have to continue developing and working hard to succeed at the next level.
While Robinson's mind is currently zeroed in on basketball, he will probably never forget his three years in Lawrence. And what he said he'll miss most is being on campus.
"Wanting to walk around campus," Robinson said. "Walking around with that feeling, it almost feels like everybody loves you."
Edited by Christine Curtin
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Robinson's journey as a Jayhawk
SAM KOVZAN
skovzan@kansan.com
Thomas Robinson cemented his status as a Kansas basketball legend during the 2011-2012 season. The junior forward averaged 17.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, led the nation in double-doubles and was a unanimous first-team All-American. His physical prowess and explosiveness around the rim made him the quintessential human highlight reel. Robinson led Kansas during its unforgettable run to the national championship game. Here are some of T-Rob's most memorable moments as a Kansas Jayhawk.
HIS FIRST DOUBLE-DOUBLE (DEC.2,
2009)
In the seventh game of his Kansas career, Robinson scored 15 points and brought down 10 rebounds (both freshman season-highs) in 18 minutes. He received double-digit playing time just four times the rest of the year.
RISING OVER ARIZONA (NOV.27, 2010)
Robinson was instrumental in the Jay.
SOPHOMORE HIGH (DEC. 29, 2010)
hawks' Las Vegas Invitational championship victory over Arizona in late 2010. He scored 14 points off 5-of-7 shooting and had three dunks. His vicious, one-handed alley-oop flush late in the game, assisted by Tyshawn Taylor, sealed the 87-79 win.
In an 82-57 victory over Texas-Arlington, Robinson set or tied career highs in points (20), rebounds (10) and minutes (24). His 8-of-10 shooting performance was highlighted by four slam dunks, and the Jayhawks improved to 12-0.
PLAYING WITH A HEAVY HEART (JAN.22, 2011)
Just 24 hours after learning his mother had passed away, Robinson found the courage to play against No. 11 Texas. Before tipoff, there was a moment of silence in memory of Lisa Robinson. Running on pure adrenaline, Kansas jumped out to an 18-3 lead, but hit an emotional wall and lost 74-63. The defeat snapped the Jayhawks' 69-game winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse.
RETURNING WITH A BANG (JAN. 29, 2011)
LISA ROBINSON'S FUNERAL (JAN.27,2011)
The entire basketball team and staff attended Robinson's mother's funeral in Washington, D.C. A somber photograph of Robinson embracing his 9-year-old sister Jayla became one of the defining images of the season.
Just two days after his mother's funeral, Robinson delivered his best game of the season. In a 90-66 dismantling of Kansas State, he scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. When Robinson was subbed out at the end of the game, 16,300 fans rose to their feet and erupted.
SLAYING THE TIGER (MAR. 5, 2011)
Kansas clinched its seventh straight Big 12 championship on the final day of the 2011 regular season. Robinson needed just 17 minutes of action to accumulate
"This wasn't an easy decision," Roberts said. "Billy Donovan has been really, really good to me. I would consider him one of the top five coaches in America and I learned a tremendous amount being here with Billy and his staff. Leaving here; I feel I'm a better coach and a better person to have worked at Florida."
SEE JOURNEY PAGE 6
ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION
Roberts is the father of sophomore guard Niko Roberts. Norm was the head coach at St. Johns from 2004-2010 where he compiled a record of 81-101. He spent last season as an assistant at the University of Florida.
The position on the Kansas staff was open after Danny Manning accepted the head coaching job at Tulsa last month.
Self hires former assistant coach Norm Roberts
Bill Self announced the hiring of Florida's assistant and former St. Johns' head coach Norm Roberts to his staff Monday. Roberts worked under Self at four schools in nine seasons and spent one season at Kansas as an assistant coach in 2003-2004.
Roberts said he got the OK from Niko before making the decision. He also said his wife Pascale is close with Self's wife, Cindy.
"As good as he was when he left, now he's got six years of head coaching experience under his belt in addition to all the recruiting experience," Self said in a statement Monday. "I think he's going to be a huge asset to our program."
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Kory Carpenter