Robinson Runs it Back

Unfinished business is how Justin Robinson will define his second season in the NBL after re-signing for the 2023/24 season.

After just 40 minutes of game time for his debut, Robinson has even greater ambitions for the Hawks ahead of the NBL24 season.

Robinson grew up in Manassas, Virginia, where his family held season tickets for the Washington Wizards; fittingly, it would be the team that Robinson would eventually debut for.

Robinson attended St James High School, where he displayed his passion for sports, specifically basketball and baseball.

After deciding to pursue the path of basketball, Robinson broke out as a senior averaging 21.8 points, 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game, where he received many accolades, including the 2015 Gatorade Maryland Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Robinson attended Virginia Tech in 2015, playing four seasons for the Hokies, becoming the all-time leader in assists with 562 for his collegiate career. His best game awarded him the ACC player of the week scoring 35 points with eight assists in a 75-86 win over Syracuse.

Dedication to his craft paid off for Robinson, who debuted with the Washington Wizards in 2019, after signing a multi-year deal.

Robinson, who currently boasts a diverse and impressive NBA resume, has played 43 NBA games to date including stints with Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, and Detroit Pistons.

Most notably, Robinson played a vital role for the Milwaukee Bucks, forming an elite combination with league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo during an ambush of injuries in the 2022 NBA season.

Robinson averaged nine points in his first three games with the Bucks, shooting an impressive 62.5% from the field and 55% from beyond the arc while providing an energetic punch off the bench.

He made his mark playing a big part in the Buck's bounce-back win over the Detroit Pistons later in the season, scoring 11 points on 60% shooting and 50% from beyond the arc while facilitating offence without a turnover to his name.

On August 10, 2022, Justin signed with the Illawarra Hawks for the NBL23 season with the mindset of being an offensive facilitator to help bring a championship to the Illawarra.

He showed hints of his impressive court vision and shooting ability during the NBL23 Blitz, averaging 17 points and six assists per game. More so, fans caught glimpses of the dangerous guard combination Harvey and Robinson were mustering for the season ahead.

Robinson was solid for the Hawks in their opening game against arch-rivals, the Sydney Kings, providing facilitative offense which kept most of the contest tight in a narrow 97-106 loss with 10 points, five rebounds, and eight assists.

Despite promising signs for the Hawks, Robinson's season was cut short after suffering a meniscus tear at the end of the third quarter of the game.

To Robinson's credit, he stayed with the team as the season went on, absorbing as much as he could of the Illawarra, the community, and the underdog mentality of the city before he headed back to the States later in the season.

He re-signed for the NBL24 season in January of 2023, treating the upcoming season as "unfinished business," with the comeback from both an individual and team sense.

"My Dad always taught me to finish what you start. My season-ending injury in the first game didn't sit well with me," Robinson said.

"I'm excited to run it back with coach Jackomas and the Hawks next season. I can't wait to return to Illawarra and get things back as we envisioned.

"The city of Wollongong embraced me from my arrival, and the organisation handled my injury in the best way possible. We have a special group of coaches, staff, and players, and there is unfinished business for me with the Hawks.

JUST-IN 👀 ... HE'S BACK 🦅 ‼️

The Illawarra Hawks are excited to announce the re-signing of import guard Justin Robinson!

Read more at https://t.co/JymfjFETNf#HawkNation pic.twitter.com/rEpyph7zBo

— Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) January 31, 2023

The Hawks are fortunate to have one of the most complete rosters to date, providing a stable platform to build on, with only two roster spots left to fill, along with two development players.

Robinson will form a part of a deadly trio with the likes of Tyler Harvey and Sam Froling, paired with a younger core who saw significant game time in NBL24, complimented by the signing of championship winners Mason Peatling (Melbourne United) and Biwali Bayles (Sydney Kings) as well as UC Riverside forward Lachlan Olbrich.

Tyler Harvey is excited to see the return of Robinson and pair up for a scorching guard combo.

"It's unbelievable news to see he is coming back here," Harvey said.

"I know he loved his time here, and for the short time he was here, the community got around him, and everyone on the team loves him. It's good to have him come back, and we will do something special next year, him and I.

"Having him in the backcourt with me was unbelievable for our five pre-season games. We were starting to figure out each other's games as it went on. To see him go down was tough, but to know he is coming back reassures me he is in it to win this thing."

Robinson will join the team for the commencement of pre-season training in August.