Justin Robinson appreciation thread

[MChambers]

I was really impressed by Coach K's comments about Justin Robinson after last night's game and thought JRob deserved a thread of his own. I'll kick it off with Coach K's quotes from last night:

On Justin Robinson’s influence on Vernon Carey’s game:
“J Rob has done that for everybody, he’s the ultimate team guy. He’s in a graduate school now and after he finishes up, he’s a young man that I’d like to see stay around here in coaching in some way. I know if any of my guys got jobs or whatever, J Rob’s a guy that really understands the game and in addition to understanding the guy, he understands people. Every time J Rob talks in a practice, individually or collectively, people listen to him. He’s runs our scout team, so that’s every game you’re putting in a new offense, he knows everything. He’s really very, very smart and he’s been a great upperclassman for Vernon and everybody really.”

https://goduke.com/documents/2020/2/...h_K_Quotes.pdf

[TruBlu]

I was really impressed by Coach K's comments about Justin Robinson after last night's game and thought JRob deserved a thread of his own. I'll kick it off with Coach K's quotes from last night:

On Justin Robinson’s influence on Vernon Carey’s game:
“J Rob has done that for everybody, he’s the ultimate team guy. He’s in a graduate school now and after he finishes up, he’s a young man that I’d like to see stay around here in coaching in some way. I know if any of my guys got jobs or whatever, J Rob’s a guy that really understands the game and in addition to understanding the guy, he understands people. Every time J Rob talks in a practice, individually or collectively, people listen to him. He’s runs our scout team, so that’s every game you’re putting in a new offense, he knows everything. He’s really very, very smart and he’s been a great upperclassman for Vernon and everybody really.”

https://goduke.com/documents/2020/2/...h_K_Quotes.pdf

Justin is constantly talking to the other players during warmups, giving advice and pep talks. Great teammate, great guy.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I was really impressed by Coach K's comments about Justin Robinson after last night's game and thought JRob deserved a thread of his own. I'll kick it off with Coach K's quotes from last night:

On Justin Robinson’s influence on Vernon Carey’s game:
“J Rob has done that for everybody, he’s the ultimate team guy. He’s in a graduate school now and after he finishes up, he’s a young man that I’d like to see stay around here in coaching in some way. I know if any of my guys got jobs or whatever, J Rob’s a guy that really understands the game and in addition to understanding the guy, he understands people. Every time J Rob talks in a practice, individually or collectively, people listen to him. He’s runs our scout team, so that’s every game you’re putting in a new offense, he knows everything. He’s really very, very smart and he’s been a great upperclassman for Vernon and everybody really.”

https://goduke.com/documents/2020/2/...h_K_Quotes.pdf

Great find. We've seen so little of him on the court, it's great to get a sense of where he's at.

[OldPhiKap]

Props for JRob much deserved, thanks for starting this thread.

[Ggallagher]

Same thought I had when I listened to the press conference. If JRob has any interest in coaching, I'm not sure it's possible to get a better job recommendation that what K said last night.

[sagegrouse]

Same thought I had when I listened to the press conference. If JRob has any interest in coaching, I'm not sure it's possible to get a better job recommendation that what K said last night.

Are you kidding? He's K's successor!

[Ggallagher]

Are you kidding? He's K's successor!

That thought crossed my mind too since K did basically ask him to stay at Duke and join the coaching staff.

[Kedsy]

Here's a crazy thing about Justin Robinson - his block% (17.3%) would be best in the nation if he played enough to qualify. Same for his defensive Box Plus-Minus (12.3, though to be fair it's mostly because of his blocks). His 7.5 blocks per 40 minutes would probably be up there as well.

[dukelifer]

I was really impressed by Coach K's comments about Justin Robinson after last night's game and thought JRob deserved a thread of his own. I'll kick it off with Coach K's quotes from last night:

On Justin Robinson’s influence on Vernon Carey’s game:
“J Rob has done that for everybody, he’s the ultimate team guy. He’s in a graduate school now and after he finishes up, he’s a young man that I’d like to see stay around here in coaching in some way. I know if any of my guys got jobs or whatever, J Rob’s a guy that really understands the game and in addition to understanding the guy, he understands people. Every time J Rob talks in a practice, individually or collectively, people listen to him. He’s runs our scout team, so that’s every game you’re putting in a new offense, he knows everything. He’s really very, very smart and he’s been a great upperclassman for Vernon and everybody really.”

https://goduke.com/documents/2020/2/...h_K_Quotes.pdf

I think he if he was able to play more in real games- he would gain a lot of confidence. He is clearly not lost out there.

[sagegrouse]

If Justin is so smart, so well educated and so good with people -- he will have lots of other opportunities as well. He was a psych major and is now pursuing the management studies master at Fuqua.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Here's a crazy thing about Justin Robinson - his block% (17.3%) would be best in the nation if he played enough to qualify. Same for his defensive Box Plus-Minus (12.3, though to be fair it's mostly because of his blocks). His 7.5 blocks per 40 minutes would probably be up there as well.

Love JRob. But it’s also fair to note that he tends to do that stuff against the end of opposing teams’ benches. Doubt his stats would be the same against regular rotation players.

[Kedsy]

Love JRob. But it’s also fair to note that he tends to do that stuff against the end of opposing teams’ benches. Doubt his stats would be the same against regular rotation players.

Oh, I agree. But I also think it's a rare walk-on who gets a block, a dunk, and a three in the same game (especially against an ACC opponent), like Justin did last night.

[wsb3]

I was really impressed by Coach K's comments about Justin Robinson after last night's game and thought JRob deserved a thread of his own. I'll kick it off with Coach K's quotes from last night:

On Justin Robinson’s influence on Vernon Carey’s game:
“J Rob has done that for everybody, he’s the ultimate team guy. He’s in a graduate school now and after he finishes up, he’s a young man that I’d like to see stay around here in coaching in some way. I know if any of my guys got jobs or whatever, J Rob’s a guy that really understands the game and in addition to understanding the guy, he understands people. Every time J Rob talks in a practice, individually or collectively, people listen to him. He’s runs our scout team, so that’s every game you’re putting in a new offense, he knows everything. He’s really very, very smart and he’s been a great upperclassman for Vernon and everybody really.”

https://goduke.com/documents/2020/2/...h_K_Quotes.pdf

High Praise for J Rob indeed.

[Truth&Justise]

Justin Robinson has been a leader on this team since the moment he set foot on campus.

In his senior speech, Marshall Plumlee shared a story about freshman Justin Robinson showing up to his room during a tough stretch in the 2016 season when Marshall just wanted to be alone to wallow in his frustration. He elaborated on that story in a later interview:

Q: It’s interesting hearing that viewpoint because you referenced a story during your Senior Speech at your last Duke Banquet about Justin Robinson and how he helped you through a difficult time during your Duke career. Out of all the moments you had at Duke, what made you want to share that story in that setting?

A: Yeah it really meant a lot to me and it’s funny because I almost asked myself the same question you just did because I had a ton of crazy ups and downs and experiences while I was there. It was the epitome really with him of a team-first teammate, I mean here’s this guy, he’s a freshman and for a freshman to come into a grad student’s room, and not just a freshman, but a freshman walk-on to come into what I thought was a lion’s den where I was absolutely in the worst mood and I was down and out and that kid had the guts to sit there and be there with me as both a teammate and a friend, it’s what I needed and it definitely wasn’t what I wanted, but I love him to death still to this day and anytime somebody sticks their neck out there for you like that, it was an emotional moment and it’s hard to explain it to others, but when you are in the Duke program and there’s tons of pressure to do well, a loss isn’t just a loss when you are at Duke, there’s a ton of pressure on you when that happens.

I think of myself and Grayson Allen and other guys who have gone through difficult situations and who have had the reins as captains, it sometimes can feel like the world is really beating down on your shoulders, but when you are in those types of situations, Duke has never failed to help me get out of those and deal with them well. Whether it be a coach reaching out to me or a teammate in that situation with Justin Robinson, so to put in a nutshell, a loss may look like just a loss to the common fan, but at Duke it’s so much more than that and it really takes a toll on you as a player, especially with so many of us who absolutely hate to lose and it can really kinda shape you as a man when you know that Duke has always had my back no matter what.

Here's the full speech, if you want to listen. Marshall gets emotional talking about the great support provided by Justin Robinson.

[Tooold]

Justin Robinson has been a leader on this team since the moment he set foot on campus.

In his senior speech, Marshall Plumlee shared a story about freshman Justin Robinson showing up to his room during a tough stretch in the 2016 season when Marshall just wanted to be alone to wallow in his frustration. He elaborated on that story in a later interview:



Here's the full speech, if you want to listen. Marshall gets emotional talking about the great support provided by Justin Robinson.

I remember this, and it is remarkable that a freshman walk-on would have this kind of poise and empathy. But it also says so much about his parents and how they raised him. While everyone knows what a fine character David has, I am reminded of his character every time they show him sitting in the stands, happily supporting Duke and his son, even though he knows Justin likely will not see the court.

[kAzE]

Can anyone make an evidence based case for why J-Rob doesn't play more? I know he's usually playing against the other team's subs and all, and there's quite a few guys ahead of him on the forward depth chart but the guy always seems to make big plays whenever he's in the game, and it fires up the team, which can be hard to quantify, but I think is unquestionably a boost for the team.

He hits perimeter shots, plays pretty good interior defense, and seems to have some finishing ability at the rim as well. If he's the highest b-ball IQ guy on the team, why isn't he able play a bigger on-the-court role for this team? Can he really not contribute as a stretch 4 type of role player off the bench when our other forwards aren't performing well?

[weezie]

Love JRob. And so do the Crazies and Crusties. A great roar of support when he made his moves last night.

I'm very proud he's ours.

[SupaDave]

Can anyone make an evidence based case for why J-Rob doesn't play more? I know he's usually playing against the other team's subs and all, and there's quite a few guys ahead of him on the forward depth chart but the guy always seems to make big plays whenever he's in the game, and it fires up the team, which can be hard to quantify, but I think is unquestionably a boost for the team.

He hits perimeter shots, plays pretty good interior defense, and seems to have some finishing ability at the rim as well. If he's the highest b-ball IQ guy on the team, why isn't he able play a bigger on-the-court role for this team? Can he really not contribute as a stretch 4 type of role player off the bench when our other forwards aren't performing well?

I think he's straight up just a late bloomer. He seems like he's still learning to use his body. He can dunk, he can shoot, and he can block. Does he have any post moves? Does he have a fadeaway or a nice hook shot? Can he stop the pick and roll? Can he stop a dribble drive by an elite player? He's a skinny tall kid that plays like a wing player. Like an under developed nice guy Joakim Noah. I think he literally plays basketball bc it's a means to an end - and a legacy he loves. He gets to do both - his dad comes to games knowing that Justin may not even get in. If he keeps playing ball though I'd wager that a bulked up 26 year-old Robinson could have a nice little overseas career.

[kako]

I was really impressed by Coach K's comments about Justin Robinson after last night's game and thought JRob deserved a thread of his own. I'll kick it off with Coach K's quotes from last night:

On Justin Robinson’s influence on Vernon Carey’s game:
“J Rob has done that for everybody, he’s the ultimate team guy. He’s in a graduate school now and after he finishes up, he’s a young man that I’d like to see stay around here in coaching in some way. I know if any of my guys got jobs or whatever, J Rob’s a guy that really understands the game and in addition to understanding the guy, he understands people. Every time J Rob talks in a practice, individually or collectively, people listen to him. He’s runs our scout team, so that’s every game you’re putting in a new offense, he knows everything. He’s really very, very smart and he’s been a great upperclassman for Vernon and everybody really.”

https://goduke.com/documents/2020/2/...h_K_Quotes.pdf

Thanks for the post. So then here's a guy the team can rally around, and he in turn can keep the fire lit beneath the underclassmen. This is his last go-around, there is no next year for him. The NBA does not await him, his last game in a Duke uniform could be the last game he ever suits up for. He's a role player at best, but if he can get people to play for him (and White and DeLaurier), then that could be a key element in any championship run. This Duke team needs to come out smoking each and every game in order to have its best shot to win. Here's hoping JRob can inspire that fire.

9F

[scottdude8]

I think he's straight up just a late bloomer. He seems like he's still learning to use his body. He can dunk, he can shoot, and he can block. Does he have any post moves? Does he have a fadeaway or a nice hook shot? Can he stop the pick and roll? Can he stop a dribble drive by an elite player? He's a skinny tall kid that plays like a wing player. Like an under developed nice guy Joakim Noah. I think he literally plays basketball bc it's a means to an end - and a legacy he loves. He gets to do both - his dad comes to games knowing that Justin may not even get in. If he keeps playing ball though I'd wager that a bulked up 26 year-old Robinson could have a nice little overseas career.

This gets at an interesting point about the direction of basketball, and perhaps sports more generally: given the emphasis on youth, there is little room for "late bloomers" anymore. There's a reason there are so few stories of players at a high level who "blossom" their senior years anymore: guys with that potential typically don't even get a look by top programs. Honestly, JG may be an exception that proves the rule, and could be one of the last ones for a while.

In another universe, J Rob gets recruited by an ACC level school, redshirts his first season to develop his game and his body, and by his junior/senior year becomes a productive college basketball player. But we just don't live in that universe anymore. I don't remember much about J Rob's recruitment, but I don't believe he got any significant offers, right?

Not saying that this is a positive or a negative necessarily, just the current state of play. I do think it's a pretty unique thing in sports (again particularly in basketball, but this holds true generally) that we expect to be able to fully identify the cream of the crop at age 18/19. Is there any other (perhaps non-entertainment based) profession in which this is the case? Heck, in my field (scientific research) you don't get your PhD until you're in your mid twenties, and that accomplishment just gets you in the door of the research world. No one has to make a definitive judgement one way or the other whether you have a "future" in the field until your in your late 20s, at the earliest.

Sports are unique, and basketball extremely so, for better and for worse.