Robinson Eyes Rebound Sophomore Season
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- During a full-contact drill Monday, a 3-point shot was launched by one of Devin Robinson's teammates. Robinson, as he's been known to do, was floating on the perimeter.
What happened next was something Robinson has not been known to do.
At least until the last couple weeks.
Robinson, the rangy 6-foot-9 sophomore forward, crashed down the lane, knifing his sleeky frame through a logjam of bodies, even doing a defensive end-like swim move to get position, before vaulting over a couple guys and grabbing the ball and getting fouled coming down to the floor.
The play drew immediate atta-boy's from teammates and coaches.
“It's the hardest play in basketball to make,” UF coach Mike White said on the subject of offensive rebounding. “We've made it very clear to Devin that he needs to make those plays if he wants to be on the floor this season, and I'm really, really pleased with how he's responded.”
Worth noting: His practice Tuesday was even better.
If the Nov. 13 season opener at Navy was today, Robinson would be in the starting lineup, but let this sink in: Three weeks ago, the coaching staff viewed Robinson as Florida's third-team small forward. This from a top-30 prospect with wild athleticism, who started 17 games as a freshman, and entered the fall with his name in several first-round 2016 NBA mock drafts.
A lot of the same talking points Billy Donovan and his staff put to Robinson last year were coming up during UF's offseason workouts. And, frankly, most of the discussions began with Robinson's effort. His want-to.
“I was immature last season. Young, weak-minded, selfish, whatever, however you want to say it,” recalled Robinson, the former Virginia Prep Player of the Year who averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two assists per game as a high school senior. “I might have started to get it a little late in the year, but by then it was just too late.”
The lessons didn't necessarily carry over with White and the new Gators staff until recently.
White and Robinson had a series of sit-downs; some one-on-ones, some with the entire staff. For whatever reason, the message began to sink in. Robinson was reminded he had just 27 offensive rebounds in 33 games last season, and that this year he'd need at least 60. Visual aids helped drive home the point. White had some cut-ups of Robinson doing a lot of watching from out near the three-point line while rebounds were caroming off the rim.
It was time for Robinson to get in and start mixing it up with the men. Get his nose bloodied, if need be.
Or else.
“He showed me some clips of me not playing hard and it was embarrassing,” Robinson said. “Coach basically told me, 'Hey, I can't play a guy who's not going to play hard every time,' and that I had to wake up or I would find myself on the bench with no chance for the kind of season I want to have. So I had to prove something to my new coach.”
Robinson also had to prove something to himself.
“I think something finally clicked for him,” said sophomore point guard and best friend Chris Chiozza. “He wants to play at the next level, so that's something that needed to happen because it's going to help this team get to the next level and be more successful. There are so many of the little things he can do, especially on defense and rebounding and with putbacks, that will make us a much better team.”
Plus, it's not like Robinson hasn't it done it before. Twice he had games where he grabbed seven rebounds last season; both against SEC opponents (Ole Miss and LSU) that reached the NCAA Tournament. He had three outings, including one at Kansas, with six rebounds. For the season, Robinson averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 boards.
Those digits figure to go up in 2015-16. How much will be up to Robinson and his effort level.
“He's improved in all the areas you're looking for,” junior and fellow wing forward DeVon Walker said. “I can tell you that because I have to go against him every day in practice.”
In last week's final (and full 40-minute) intrasquad scrimmage, Robinson led all players with 11 rebounds, including three on the offensive end. On defense, he maintained a strong stance for longer stretches. He was aggressive. He was assertive. He bounced. He boxed out. Best of all, he chased balls.
The guy his coaches and teammates call “D-Rob” left the gym that day with a new nickname.
“D-Bound.”
The Gators hope it sticks.
“He's just been attacking the glass more,” Walker said. “In the past, he's been maybe timid about that, maybe even lackadaisical. But now he's just started going so hard -- and he was hitting me like I hit him. That's when I knew. That's when I knew he was trying to be more aggressive. And that scrimmage was just an accumulation of the previous week.”
Added White: “His motor has increased and because of it his practice habits have improved exponentially. We've challenged him to be a more physically player -- to do more things that impact the game -- and he's embraced that and he's playing harder. That's where it starts. Part of that is the natural progression from freshman to sophomore year, but part of it is also being more receptive to things.”
To coaching. To criticism. To confrontation.
It's all coming. Robinson knows they're coming because he lived it last year. The object now is not relive last year.
“That wasn't the culture of University of Florida basketball,” Robinson said of the 16-17 record, the program's first losing campaign in 17 seasons. “This year, people are doubting us and I like that. We have a chip on our shoulder. I have a chip on mine. We're starting at the bottom and working our way up. We have to fight our way back.”
Much of it, from in the paint.
