Cliff Robinson: An NBA Journeyman

Cliff Robinson was an NBA Journeyman playing for eight teams over the course of his 18-year career. He was known for his work ethic and dedication to the game, and was a fan favorite wherever he played.

Robinson’s NBA career

Robinson was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 36th overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft He played 18 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 1,388 games (1,280 started), averaging 13.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.8 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game. Robinson made the NBA All-Star team twice ( 1994, 1995) and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year twice (1993, 1994). He also won an NBA Championship with the Spurs in 2005.

Robinson was a versatile player who could play both Power Forward and center. He was an excellent rebounder, shot blocker and shooter for a big man. Robinson is one of only four players in NBA history to record at least 1,800 points, 900 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals in their career (the other three are Kevin Garnett , Lamar Odom and Karl Malone).

His journey to the NBA

Cliff Robinson was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1965. He was a basketball star in High School and was recruited by the University of Connecticut He played for the Huskies for four years, and was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1989 NBA Draft Robinson played for the Blazers for eight seasons, before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1997. He played for the Suns for six seasons, before being traded to the Detroit Pistons in 2003. He played for the Pistons for two seasons, before being traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2005. He retired from basketball in 2007.

His time with the Portland Trail Blazers

Cliff Robinson was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989 with the 18th pick in the first round. He was one of the premier players on a Trail Blazers team that also included Future Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler Terry Porter, Kevin Duckworth, and Jerome Kersey. The “Blazermaniacs” were one of the league’s most feared teams, and Robinson was an integral part of their success.

Robinson helped lead the Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, where they lost to the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls respectively. He was named an All-Star in 1994, and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1999.

Robinson played ten seasons with the Trail Blazers before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1998. He would go on to play for the New Jersey Nets Philadelphia 76ers, and Golden State Warriors before retiring in 2007.

His later years in the NBA

Cliff Robinson was never a superstar in the NBA, but he was a very good player that had a long, successful career. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1989 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers He played 18 seasons in the NBA, for 8 different teams. He was an All-Star in 1994, and he won the sixth man of the Year Award in 1993. He averaged 14 points per game over his career.

Robinson’s best years were probably with the Portland Trail Blazers where he spent the first 8 years of his career. He averaged 18 points per game during his time with Portland, and he was a key part of their back-to-back Western Conference Championship teams in 1990 and 1991.

In his later years in the NBA, Robinson bounced around from team to team, never really settling anywhere. He had short stints with the Detroit Pistons Golden State Warriors Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and San Antonio Spurs. He finished his career with the New York Knicks in 2007.

His post-NBA career

Robinson’s post-NBA Career has been eventful. After he was arrested for possession of marijuana in 2013, he started a cannabis business called Uncle Spliffy. He has also been active in philanthropy, working with the Boys & Girls Club and various youth programs. In 2020, he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame

His philanthropic work

Although he had a long and successful NBA career, Cliff Robinson is probably best known now for his work with the Cliff Robinson Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to helping underserved youth in Portland, Oregon, where Robinson grew up.

Robinson has always been interested in giving back to his community. He started the Foundation in 2006, with the goal of providing opportunities for kids to succeed both academically and athletically. Since then, the Foundation has provided scholarships to local students, funded after-school programs, and built a state-of-the-art basketball court in a local park.

In addition to his work with the Foundation, Robinson is also an active supporter of the Special Olympics He has served as a global ambassador for the organization since 2010, and has helped raise millions of dollars for their programs.

His business ventures

Cliff Robinson is best known for his 18-year nba career, during which he played for eight different teams. But what many people don’t know is that he’s also an entrepreneur, with a number of business ventures under his belt.

After his retirement from the NBA in 2007, Robinson founded Uncle Cliffy, LLC, a cannabis lifestyle brand that produces and sells CBD products. The company was born out of Robinson’s own experience using CBD to manage pain and anxiety.

In 2018, Robinson also launched Hoop Dreams Wine & Spirits, a line of wines and spirits inspired by his love of basketball. The line includes a red wine blend called “Hoop Dreams” and a vodka called “Crossover.”

His family life

Cliff Robinson was born in Mansfield, Connecticut in 1966. His father, George, worked for a local newspaper and his mother, Josephine, was a school teacher. Robinson was the oldest of four children and the only son. When he was nine years old, his family moved to New Jersey where his father took a job as an editorial writer for The Star-Ledger. It was around this time that Robinson began to show an interest in basketball. He would often go to the playground near his house and shoot hoops with his friends.

Robinson’s father died unexpectedly when he was just 13 years old. This had a profound effect on Robinson and he became determined to make something of himself. He worked hard in school and became one of the top high school basketball players in the country. He was recruited by several colleges but chose to play for the University of Connecticut Huskies.

His legacy

Cliff Robinson was an NBA Journeyman playing for eight different teams over the course of his 18-year career. A 6’10” power forward he was known for his defense and rebounding, but could also score when called upon. He was a versatile player who could play multiple positions and this made him valuable to a number of teams throughout his career.

Robinson was never an All-Star, but he was a solid player who had a long and productive NBA career He retired in 2007 with over 14,000 points and 6,000 rebounds to his name. In 2014, he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame Cliff Robinson will be remembered as a good player who had a lasting impact on the game of basketball

An interview with Cliff Robinson

Robinson, who played for eight different NBA teams during his 18-year career, was known as a journeyman. He was never a superstar, but he was a solid player who contributed to whatever team he was on. Robinson was always willing to do whatever it took to help his team win, even if that meant coming off the bench or playing out of position.

Now retired from basketball, Robinson is enjoying his post-playing days as a business owner and TV analyst. I had the chance to sit down with him recently and talked about his NBA career and what life is like after the NBA.

Q: You were known as a journeyman during your playing days. What does that term mean to you?

A: A journeyman is a player who is not a superstar, but is still good enough to play in the NBA. I never considered myself a superstar, but I felt like I could contribute to any team I played on. I was always willing to do whatever it took to help my team win, even if that meant coming off the bench or playing out of position.

Q: How did you feel about being traded so often?

A: It’s part of the business. As a journeyman, you learn to accept that you may not be with a team for very long. You just have to go out there and play your best every night and hope that you catch on somewhere.

Q: What was your favorite NBA City to play in?

A: That’s tough to say because I enjoyed playing in all of them. But if I had to pick one, it would probably be Portland because that’s where I started my career and spent the most time.

Q: How do you think your time in the NBA has prepared you for life after basketball?

A: Playing in the NBA has given me a lot of perspective on what’s important in life. It’s taught me how to handle success and failure, how to work hard and how to deal with people. Those are all skills that have helped me in my post-playing days as a business owner and TV analyst.