Clifford Robinson (basketball, born 1966)

College basketball career

Robinson played four seasons at the University of Connecticut beginning in 1985. The Huskies won the 1988 National Invitation Tournament championship, and he was named to the all-tournament team. Robinson was later named to UConn's All-Century men's basketball team. On February 5, 2007, Robinson's number "00" was retired at Gampel Pavilion during halftime of a UConn basketball game against Syracuse as part of the "Huskies of Honor" ceremony which recognized personal accomplishments of 13 former players and 3 coaches.

Professional basketball career

Portland Trail Blazers (1989–1997)

Robinson was selected with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 1989 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Robinson played for the Trail Blazers for eight seasons. Portland made the playoffs each year he was on the team, and played in the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. Robinson won the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1992–93 after averaging 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and a career-best 1.99 blocks per game. He was an All-Star with the team in 1994. The nickname stuck with Robinson for the rest of his career. Following a game against the Golden State Warriors on February 22, 1995, Robinson was forced to end his 461 iron man streak of consecutive games played since the start of his career. This streak stands as a franchise record for the Trail Blazers.

Phoenix Suns (1997–2001)

Robinson signed with the Phoenix Suns as a free agent on August 25, 1997, where he remained for four more seasons. The highlight of his tenure with the Suns was registering a career-best 50 points against the Denver Nuggets on January 16, 2000. He became the oldest player in NBA history to register his first 50-point game, aged 33 years and 2 months.

Detroit Pistons (2001–2003)

Robinson was traded to the Detroit Pistons on June 29, 2001, in exchange for Jud Buechler and John Wallace.

Golden State Warriors (2003–2005)

Robinson was traded to the Golden State Warriors on August 21, 2003, along with Pepe Sánchez, in exchange for Bob Sura.

New Jersey Nets (2005–2007)

On February 14, 2005, Golden State traded Robinson to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for two second-round draft picks. Robinson then retired.

Suspensions

Robinson was arrested for marijuana possession and driving under the influence in February 2001 and received a one-game suspension. Robinson was also suspended for five games in February 2005 while playing for Golden State, and was suspended for five games during the NBA playoffs on May 12, 2006, for violating terms of the league's drug policy for the second time in two seasons.

Retrospective

Robinson held career NBA per-game averages of 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.05 steals, and 1.03 blocks. At the time of his retirement in 2007, his 1,380 NBA games played was the 7th-highest total in NBA history.

Robinson was one of only two players drafted in the 1980s that was still active in the league in 2007, with the other being Kevin Willis. He played in the NBA playoffs in all but one of his 18 seasons in the league.

At 6'10", he was the tallest player to make more than 1,000 three-pointers until he was surpassed by Dirk Nowitzki and Rashard Lewis. As of 2019, Robinson was one of seven players to record 1,300 steals and 1,300 blocked shots in his ABA/NBA career; the others are Kevin Garnett, Julius Erving, Bobby Jones, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Ben Wallace.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | 82 || 0 || 19.1 || .397 || .273 || .550 || 3.8 || .9 || .6 || .6 || 9.1 |- | 82 || 11 || 23.7 || .463 || .316 || .653 || 4.3 || 1.8 || 1.0 || .9 || 11.7 |- | 82 || 7 || 25.9 || .466 || .091 || .664 || 5.1 || 1.7 || 1.0 || 1.3 || 12.4 |- | 82 || 12 || 31.4 || .473 || .247 || .690 || 6.6 || 2.2 || 1.2 || 2.0 || 19.1 |- | 82 || 64 || 34.8 || .457 || .245 || .765 || 6.7 || 1.9 || 1.4 || 1.4 || 20.1 |- | 75 || 73 || 36.3 || .452 || .371 || .694 || 5.6 || 2.6 || 1.1 || 1.1 || 21.3 |- | 78 || 76 || 38.2 || .423 || .378 || .664 || 5.7 || 2.4 || 1.1 || .9 || 21.1 |- | 81 || 79 || 38.0 || .426 || .346 || .696 || 4.0 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .8 || 15.1 |- | 80 || 64 || 29.5 || .479 || .321 || .689 || 5.1 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 1.1 || 14.2

Playoffs

|- | 21 || 6 || 18.6 || .358 || .000 || .558 || 4.1 || 1.1 || .9 || 1.1 || 6.5 |- | 16 || 0 || 22.1 || .538 || .333 || .551 || 3.9 || 1.1 || .4 || 1.0 || 10.3 |- | 21 || 0 || 24.9 || .462 || .167 || .571 || 4.2 || 2.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 10.8 |- | 4 || 0 || 32.8 || .262 || .000 || .409 || 4.3 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 1.8 || 10.3 |- | 4 || 4 || 37.3 || .412 || .222 || .875 || 6.3 || 2.5 || .8 || 1.5 || 16.3 |- | 3 || 3 || 39.7 || .362 || .235 || .563 || 6.3 || 2.7 || .7 || .3 || 15.7 |- | 5 || 5 || 36.2 || .344 || .261 || .757 || 3.6 || 1.6 || 1.4 || 1.0 || 15.2 |- | 4 || 4 || 40.3 || .362 || .188 || .688 || 6.8 || 3.0 || .5 || 1.0 || 12.0 |- | 4 || 4 || 23.0 || .273 || .000 || .778 || 3.0 || .8 || .8 || .5 || 6.3 |- | 3 || 3 || 39.0 || .475 || .222 || .636 || 5.3 || 2.7 || 2.0 || .3 || 15.7 |- | 9 || 9 || 37.0 || .386 || .325 || .733 || 6.0 || 2.1 || 1.2 || .8 || 17.6 |- | 4 || 4 || 28.5 || .420 || .250 || .636 || 4.0 || 1.0 || 1.5 || .5 || 15.0 |- | 10 || 10 || 40.9 || .363 || .340 || .800 || 3.0 || 2.9 || 1.8 || 1.9 || 13.2 |- | 17 || 17 || 30.8 || .358 || .373 || .595 || 2.7 || 2.9 || .9 || .8 || 9.3 |- | 4 || 0 || 17.8 || .407 || .286 || 1.000 || 2.5 || 1.3 || .8 || .3 || 7.0 |- | 8 || 0 || 24.8 || .333 || .316 || .800 || 3.3 || .6 || 1.1 || .4 || 4.5 |- | 4 || 0 || 5.0 || .167 || .500 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .3 || .0 || .8 |- class="sortbottom" | 141 || 69 || 27.6 || .393 || .298 || .629 || 3.9 || 1.8 || 1.0 || .9 || 10.3

Post-NBA endeavors

''Survivor''

Robinson was a contestant in the 28th installment of the American reality television series Survivor (filmed in 2013 and broadcast the following year). Although he did not initially plan to reveal his identity, he was recognized by another contestant. He was the fifth contestant of the season to be voted out, finishing in 14th place.

Basketball diplomacy

In 2014, Robinson was named to a team assembled by Dennis Rodman as part of his "basketball diplomacy" effort in North Korea with the job of playing an exhibition match against the Northern Korean Senior National Basketball Team to celebrate the birthday of Kim Jong-un. The team also included Kenny Anderson, Vin Baker, Craig Hodges, Doug Christie, Sleepy Floyd, Charles D. Smith, and four "streetballers".

Cannabis entrepreneurship

During his post-basketball life, Robinson became an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry, selling assorted cannabis products under his "Uncle Cliffy" brand name. He was also an advocate for the legalization of cannabis, supporting efforts to reform cannabis laws in the states of Oregon and Connecticut. During his time in the NBA, Robinson used cannabis to help relieve pain and anxiety, and to avoid the undesirable side effects caused by pharmaceutical drugs. He partially attributed the longevity of his NBA career to his use of cannabis.

Robinson appeared in the 2019 Netflix film Grass Is Greener, which examines the history of cannabis prohibition in the United States.

Personal life

On September 21, 2003, Robinson married Heather Lufkins on the island of Barbados. His son Isaiah Robinson played basketball for the Jefferson High School Democrats in Portland and for the Houston Baptist Huskies.

Health issues and death

Robinson suffered a stroke in March 2017 that paralyzed the left side of his body, but he soon recovered much of his arm and leg movement. He had a tumor removed from his jaw in March 2018.

In March 2019, Robinson underwent surgery for cancer. He died of lymphoma on August 29, 2020, at the age of 53.

References

References

1. "Clifford Robinson".
2. (December 26, 2006). "Men's Basketball Huskies Of Honor Announced". uconnhuskies.com.
3. "Clifford Robinson: The NBA's New Ironman". nba.com.
4. "Clifford Robinson Bio Page".
5. (June 12, 1992). "Dancing Robinson Shows Off Moves". The Washington Post.
6. (January 16, 2005). "24 seconds with Clifford Robinson". The Seattle Times.
7. "Clifford Robinson 1994-95 game log".
8. (April 5, 2010). "Blazers Top 40: No. 9 Cliff Robinson". The Oregonian.
9. (September 2, 2008). "After final buzzer, Oregons still home". Portland Tribune.
10. (February 9, 2001). "Suns' Robinson legally intoxicated, tests show". CBC Sports.
11. (May 13, 2006). "League Suspends Robinson 5 Games for Drug Violation". The New York Times.
12. "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Games".
13. "Query results".
14. Singer, Mike. (September 1, 2019). ""Secretary of Defense" Bobby Jones reflects on colorful career as Hall of Fame enshrinement nears". The Denver Post.
15. "Clifford Robinson 1989-90 game log".
16. "Clifford Robinson 1990-91 game log".
17. "Clifford Robinson 1991-92 game log".
18. "Clifford Robinson 1992-93 game log".
19. "Clifford Robinson 1993-94 game log".
20. "Clifford Robinson 1994-95 game log".
21. "Clifford Robinson 1995-96 game log".
22. "Clifford Robinson 1996-97 game log".
23. "Clifford Robinson 1997-98 game log".
24. "Clifford Robinson 1998-99 game log".
25. "Clifford Robinson 1999-00 game log".
26. "Clifford Robinson 2000-01 game log".
27. "Clifford Robinson 2001-02 game log".
28. "Clifford Robinson 2002-03 game log".
29. "Clifford Robinson 2003-04 game log".
30. "Clifford Robinson 2004-05 game log".
31. "Clifford Robinson 2005-06 game log".
32. "Clifford Robinson 2006-07 game log".
33. "Clifford Robinson 2004-05 game log".
34. "Cliff Robinson, former NBA All-Star and "Survivor" contestant, has died at 53".
35. (August 29, 2020). "Cliff Robinson, 'Survivor' Contestant and NBA All-Star, Dies at 53".
36. (January 7, 2014). "Rodman's Goon Squad Goes to North Korea". The Daily Beast.
37. (January 6, 2014). "Dennis Rodman Announces "Basketball Diplomacy" For Upcoming Games In North Korea". The Florida News Journal.
38. (February 12, 2016). "Meet Uncle Spliffy: Cliff Robinson Ventures into the Weeds". Vice Sports.
39. (July 21, 2017). "Cliff Robinson aims to 'knock down the myth that athletes and cannabis don't mix'". The Oregonian.
40. (May 16, 2017). "Cliff Robinson Endorses Oregon Senate Bill About Cannabis Consumption". High Times.
41. (June 3, 2017). "UConn Great Robinson Blazing Path As Advocate For Pot Reform". Hartford Courant.
42. (April 23, 2019). "Grass Is Greener Review: New Netflix Documentary Spotlights Portland Cannabis Industry Leaders". Portland Mercury.
43. "Lufkins–Robinson wed".
44. (April 3, 2015). "Isaiah Robinson, Jefferson's shot blocking machine, commits to Houston Baptist". The Oregonian.
45. (April 30, 2017). "Robinson rebounds – Former Trail Blazers standout survives, thrives following brain hemorrhage". Portland Tribune.
46. (March 7, 2018). "Former Blazer Cliff Robinson has tumor removed: 'It's been a tough year for me'". KATU.
47. (August 29, 2020). "Blazers, UConn star Clifford Robinson dies at 53".
48. (August 30, 2020). "Cliff Robinson, UConn Star Who Played 18 N.B.A. Seasons, Dies at 53".