Former KU Jayhawks star Robinson to be honored at Mizzou game: ‘He met every criteria’

Former University of Kansas basketball power forward Thomas Robinson will forever be remembered for blocking the last-second driving layup of Phil Pressey and assuring overtime in the Jayhawks’ improbable 87-86 come-from-behind victory over Missouri on Feb. 25, 2012 at Allen Fieldhouse.

His total body of work — 28 points and 12 rebounds — was instrumental in helping KU win what, at the time, was believed to be the final on-campus game between the Border War rivals.

Of course, the teams resumed playing after a nine-year hiatus in 2021-22 and will embark on game three of a six-game, six year series at 4:15 p.m. Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.

You can bet highlights of Robinson’s pivotal block will be shown on the video board before a halftime jersey-retirement ceremony for the 32-year-old Robinson, who fittingly will see his No. 0 hang in the south rafters of KU’s tradition-rich building ... with the MU Tigers in town.

“I don’t know he was given an abundance of choices,” KU coach Bill Self said of providing possible dates for jersey retirement to Robinson, who has been playing pro ball in the Philippines. “It was, ‘We want to do this. We want to do it for the Missouri game. Are you interested?’ (He said) ‘I’m in.’”

The double double against Missouri was just one of many superlative efforts turned in by Robinson, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound native of Washington D.C., during his junior season.

Robinson, a consensus first-team All-American, earned Big 12 player of the year honors after averaging 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds a game for a 2011-12 KU team that won the Big 12 and advanced all the way to the national title game, a 67-59 victory by Kentucky in New Orleans.

“It wasn’t a process. Everybody knew he was going to have his jersey retired — first team All-American, player of the year. He met every criteria,” Self said, adding, “We rode him pretty hard that junior year. For him to finish second in national player of the year voting behind (Kentucky’s) Anthony Davis in basically every poll is pretty remarkable, considering he played eight minutes a game as a freshman.”

Robinson — he played his high school ball at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire — averaged 2.5 points and 2.7 rebounds as a freshman in 2009-10. He averaged 7.6 and 6.4 during his sophomore season before breaking out in his junior campaign.

“He was a warrior that got as much as he possibly could out of what he had,” Self said. “And I also think the added personal things that he had to go through, while he was here adds to the respect and the toughness that you equate with him as a player.”

Robinson’s mother, Lisa, and two grandparents died in the span of one month during his sophomore season. Robinson’s family suddenly consisted of just Thomas and his younger sister, Jayla.

“I would say the one (memory) that sticks out in my mind is after the three tragedies that occurred, he took some time away. His first game back with the team was K-State. He was the best player on the floor without practicing for a week,” Self said.

Robinson, who returned to D.C. for his mom’s funeral and to spend time with sister Jayla, skipped a game at Colorado following his mother’s death. Against K-State, he had 17 points and nine rebounds in a KU victory.

“I don’t know if It was quite perfect,” Self said of Robinson’s junior season, his final season in college, in which KU went 32-7 overall and 16-2 in the Big 12. “It would have been about that if we would have won our last game (against Kentucky in final). He was great, At that time I don’t know of any guy I’d coached that had much of a better year than what he had.

“Since then Frank (Mason) being national player of the year and Ochai (Agbaji) and Jalen (Wilson) and what they were able to do would rival it. Maybe from an individual standpoint Frank may be the only one we’ve had would probably have a year that would have rivaled T-Rob’s that particular year.”

The Sacramento Kings chose Robinson, the most outstanding player of the 2012 NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional and member of the all-Final Four team, No. 5 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. He played five seasons in the NBA. In 2017-18, he competed for BC Khimki, a top-level professional team in Moscow, Russia, and has continued his pro career every since, currently playing with the NLEX Road Warriors in the Philippines.

Robinson’s jersey will be the second No. 0 to be hung in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters. Drew Gooden, who played at KU from 1999-2002, had his No. 0 jersey retired on Jan. 18, 2003.

In 2011-12, Robinson set the Kansas single-season double-doubles record with 27. His 463 rebounds in 2011-12 are second most in school history for a single season, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s 510 in 1956-57. Additionally, Robinson’s 692 points in 2011-12 rank ninth on the KU single-season list. Robinson ranks 56th in career scoring with 1,026 points, and 15th in all-time rebounds at 763.

“(Robinson) has been back (to Lawrence several times),” Self said, “but this will mean a ton to him. He loves this place, one that obviously changed his life. It’ll mean a lot to have him in the building.”

Robinson was in Lawrence for two weeks last summer. He played for KU’s entry in the TBT in Wichita. After that event he posted a message to KU fans on Instagram.

“I got the opportunity to go back to Kansas and play and there was no way I was going to turn it down,” Robinson wrote. “I don’t want to say the tournament never mattered, but the reason was deeper. After being gone for 12 years and coming back and seeing these people! When I say nothing’s changed , nothing CHANGED. The love will forever be there and Kansas fans, university etc., I truly will go to the grave knowing that this place loves me like no other in the world. You guys sheltered me when I needed sheltering and even after leaving going on my own journey as a pro and man the past 12 years I come back and you treat me no different.

“I can’t explain how it felt to be on court with my brothers again. This was the best feeling! I made my mind up years ago that I would no longer chase anything in this game but to get the message across that to keep going through adversity no matter what the critics say no matter what anyone says. Put your hard hat on and keep moving. Kansas I love you for understanding what I stand for no matter what.”

Robinson in August 2019 told reporters he’d maintained a close relationship with KU coach Self.

“It’s always good, refreshing, to see him,” Robinson said. “He reminds me of what I need to do to continue to stay on the right path, whether NBA or anywhere else. He keeps me on track.”

Bill Johnson to have jersey hung in rafters Jan. 22

KU also will retire the jersey of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Bill “Skinny” Johnson on Jan. 22 at halftime of the KU-Cincinnati game.

Johnson, who wore No. 33, achieved All-America status in 1933 as he led the Jayhawks to three-consecutive Big Six Conference titles under coach Phog Allen. Johnson, 6-4 from Oklahoma City, was considered a force in an era when the center jump after each basket was a part of the game. The rule was eliminated in 1937.

Johnson played for Southern Kansas Stage Lines in the AAU, earning All-America honors. He led his team to the Missouri Valley AAU Conference title and third place in the National AAU Tournament in 1934. Johnson received the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to an all-time sports great from Oklahoma, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977.

He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Johnson died in February 1980 but will be represented by his son Bill Johnson Jr., his daughter JoAnn Johnson Trenary, and other family members at the Jan. 22 ceremony.