You have to wonder how often a short explosive scoring guard has asked the question “when the heck will I be accepted for me the player and not always get dumped on about my height”? The rap is always aw they can´t handle the physicality or look over the defense. There are small guards in every league in the world and only a very small percentage are playing in top leagues. A TJ Shorts of ex team Telekom Baskets Bonn is one of those dudes that has made it and keeps climbing the ladder while not being tall. There are so many talented and gifted guards that are playing in lower leagues and one of those is Steve Robinson Jr. For the casual fan this name will most likely mean nothing, but at Mount Saint Mary´s (NCAA), this guy will always be remembered. I love this guy, because he is 1,65cm just as tall as me and personally small guards are always exciting to watch with their quickness, toughness, wheeling and dealing and love for the game. Steve Robinson is playing his 6th professional season and has put up menacing stats everywhere, but has he finally got a break? No he hasn´t. This season he is suiting up in Switzerland´s top division. “Six years has gotten here quick. It feels like I just started being a pro but yeah its tough, especially when I know I can play on a high level and be a high level player. I have always had to try and defy the odds, no matter how dominant I am. I´m honestly excited, I have always wanted to visit Switzerland and now I´m playing here. From what I have seen/watched, the league looks very competitive and there is a lot of fan support at each game. I know it is one of the more expensive countries but it is a beautiful place and I´m thankful for the opportunity to go play there. It´s going to be a new style and a new atmosphere, I cant wait!”, stressed Steve Robinson last summer. But this guy is a true warrior that just won´t give up. He does know now what he has to do to finally make the next jump up the fierce basketball ladder overseas. “ Honestly I think at this point, I have to show that my game can translate to winning. I think that is the biggest knock on my career. I know I haven´t played on the best teams so that plays into it as well but I just have to show I can be dominant AND win games. sometimes I do wish I was a bit taller, but at the same time, I have enjoyed the work it has taken me to get this far”, stated Steve Jr Robinson (165-PG-1996, college: Mt.St.Mary’s). And another thing that keeps motivating him everyday to grind in the lab and strive to be is the best was his great experience at the 2018 NBA Summer League where he strapped on the Atlanta Hawks jersey playing 4 games and had to weigh his talents in practice against Trae Young and Kevin Huerter. Sometimes hearing inspiring and positive words can set a mindset in the right direction forever. “The feedback I got was that I had the talent and abilities to play in the NBA. NBA Legend Isiah Thomas commentated my last game and he raved about how good I could play. So it was cool to know that some in the NBA family believed that I belonged in the NBA. it was also really cool to see why some of those guys are in the NBA. Their work ethic is top notch and they are very dedicated to what they do”, said Steve Jr Robinson. So who is Steve Jr Robinson? Well he is a small guard who has shown that even a small guard playing in Switzerland could belong in the NBA.

Steve Jr Robinson who lists Demetrius Jackson as his toughest cover in the NCAA that reached the NBA was born on February 15th 1996 in Mebane, North Carolina. He attended Eastern Alamance High School and really set his mark there leaving having scored 2,228 points, 17th best in North Carolina high school history. He also dished out 515 assists which was a school record. He picked up awards like HS Danville Register & Bee All-Tournament Team -2014, HS Times News Region Player of the Year -2014 and HS Mid State 3A Conference Player of the Year -2014. He then attended Mount Saint Mary´s (NCAA) from 2014-2018 playing a total of 130 games. He was able to improve his scoring stats each season. In his freshman year he averaged 8.2ppg, 1.4rpg, 3.3apg, FGP: 38.4%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 75.3%. He scored in double figures 11 times including 22 points in a loss against St Francis NY. In his second season he made another jump in his game averaging
12.5ppg, 1.8rpg, 3.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 41.5%, 3PT: 34.2%, FT: 83.9%. He scored in double figures 21 times including 26 points in a 66-61 victory over Sacred Heart. In his junior year he made another jump in his stats averaging 14.1ppg, 1.6rpg, 2.8apg, FGP: 44.6%, 3PT: 39.8%, FT: 86.8%. He helped lead the team to the big dance scoring 23 points in a nail bitter 66-65 win over New Orleans, but then ran out of gas against eventual winner Villanova. It is only logical that he will never forget his junior year. “My junior year when we had a 20 win season, won the conference and regular season, won a NCAA Tourney game, and was hanging in the game with Villanova. They had 5 future NBA players so being able to compete with them was cool. That´s definitely my fondest moment in college”, expressed Steve Jr Robinson. In that game he battled Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Donte Divincenzo, and Eric Pashall He scored in double figures 28 times including 28 points in a 74-70 win over Robert Morris. He saved his best for last and showed in his senior year just how explosive and consistent he could be averaging 21.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 4.7apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 48.6%, 3PT: 38.8%, FT: 90.1%. His game grew step by step in the NCAA and he simply had the correct encouragement in those 4 years. “I had a great group of coaches who allowed me to grow. They let me play through mistakes, they always gave me encouragement, and they always had my back. That makes it easier for you as a player because you want to be there and you want to get better”, commented Steve Jr Robinson. His scoring numbers were crazy as he scored in double figures in all 31 games and scored 20 points or more 22 times and 30 points or more 5 times including a 39 point explosion against Loyola MD and 32 points against Central Conn State. There was especially one guy that he owes a lot to for helping him achieve greatness at Mount Saint Mary´s. “Coach Jamion Christian allowed me to be me. He never tried to over coach me or control anything I did. If there was a time I was out of control, he would let me know. But he always allowed me freedom to be who I am and it helped me think for my own in situations where most coaches would want control”, remembered Steve Jr Robinson. In the NCAA he also racked up numerous awards like NEC All-Rookie Team -2015, All-NEC Second Team -2016, 17, NEC All-Tournament Team -2017, All-NEC Player of the Year -2018, and All-NEC First Team -2018.

The diminutive guard who names Chris Wray, Don Carey, Antonio Bivens, Jonah Antonio, and Mathieu Kamba as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his professional career in 2018 in Spain with Saenz Horeca Araberri (Spain-LEB Gold) averaging 19.9ppg, 2.5rpg, Assists-5 (4.3apg), 1.4spg, FGP: 45.5%, 3PT: 30.7%, FT: 82.6%. It isn´t always easy for Americans to come overseas and adapt to the game and to a culture in a new country, but for him, he got adjusted rapidly especially on the floor. “My wake up call was how much harder it is to score. Defense is much more physical and tactical in Europe. Also not having defensive 3 seconds allows for less spacing”, said Steve Jr Robinson. He is very modest, but he really was dominating the second league in Spain which is equal to many first divisions overseas. He scored in double figures in 30 of 34 games. He scored 20 points or more 16 times and had massive games against Coruna with 35 points, 33 points against Valladolid and exploded with 47 points against Melilla in his first pro game. “ I´m not going to lie, after I made my first shot, I knew I was going to have a big night. It was a heavy contested 3 that touched nothing but net”, smiled Steve Jr Robinson. He would play against highly talented Argentine player Leandro Bolmaro quite a few times in his first 2 pro years in Spain and held his own against him and FC Barcelona 2. “I think at that time, he was still young and improving so he wasn´t as aggressive as he was the next year I played him. But it was cool seeing how he improved and got better each year”, added Steve Jr Robinson. He played his second pro season with Igualatorio Cantabria Estela Santander (Spain-LEB Silver) averaging g 17.0ppg, 1.3rpg, 4.5apg, FGP: 41.7%, 3PT: 27.5%, FT: 91.7%. Usually when a player has huge stats, they tend to move up a level, but in his case he went to the third division Silver, but there was a good reasons for that. “There was some confusion about this. After my first season in Araberri, I had to get knee surgery because I had been playing with a broken kneecap that needed to get fixed. So I had the surgery and my agent felt it was best for me to go there at the time to build myself back up. Some had thought I tore my ACL or something but that wasn´t the case”, stressed Steve Jr Robinson. Even if his season was cut short to 10 games, he did have some big games against Juaristi ISB with 35 points and scorched Zornotza for 29 points. He also had the pleasure of battling against Leoandro Bolmaro again losing a tough 69-65 game, but sparkled with 19 points while his foe had 8 points. A year later he reached the NBA playing with Utah and Minnesota. “

It was cool to see honestly how he climbed the ladder. I actually remember talking to him a bit about it in that game. I was hoping he got a chance to play in the NBA before he came back to Europe”, said Steve Jr Robinson.

The North Carolina native who lists Kareem, Jordan, Kobe, and Lebron on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore then went to Finland during COVID. One would of thought after 2 very potent years in Spain, that he may get up the ladder, but instead had to play in the second division in Finland which is nothing glamorous, but once again his love for the game outweighed his ego. “Covid was tough. You didn´t know if the season was going to finish. you didn´t know if you were going to be playing that week. You didn´t know if you were going to be playing at all, so covid was very stressful and I´m actually glad I got to play during it. It was weird playing without fans though. Finland was so cold and the sun only came out 3 hours a day!! That was probably the hardest part about being there”, remembered Steve Jr Robinson. He played 2 seasons for Kipina Aanekoski averaging 29.4ppg, 4.7rpg, Assists-1 (9.8apg), 2.5spg, FGP: 54.9%, 3PT: 33.5%, FT: 87.2% and in his second season averaged 36.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 8.2apg, 2.7spg, FGP: 63.6%, 3PT: 37.1%, FT: 86.5%. He scored in double figures in all 33 games and put up crazy stats. He scored 20 points or more in 29 games, 30 points or more 18 times and 40 points or more 7 times. In his first season he put up a triple double against Huima but lost 91-90 and in his second season scored an insane 57 points against PuHu Juniorit. “The triple double loss was tough because I literally did EVERYTHING I possibly could and we still lost. I mean we did lose at the buzzer but still, a game like that you really want to win. It was also the first triple double I ever had. I will never forget that 57 point game, it was so so fun! I remember my teammate came up to me at halftime and said “bro you had 24 right now and you haven´t even done nothing crazy yet”. I knew then I had to get 50! But it was just fun to because to say I had a 50 point game in my career. I wish I would have got 3 more for 60”, joked Steve Jr Robinson.

The guard who remembers beating Mount Saint Mary´s teammate Jonah Antonio in 1-1, but losing three point games last season played for BSC Raiffeisen Furstenfeld Panthers (Austria-BSL) playing 32 games: Score-2 (22.1ppg), 3.0rpg, Assists-2 (5.9apg), Steals-4 (1.7spg), FGP: 46.7%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 84.9%. Despite putting up great stats, he couldn´t lead his team to the playoffs. “Honestly it was a tough one. My team was actually in the second division the year before so this was their first year back in the BSL so we weren´t expected to make the playoffs. I just tried to go out and play every game to the best of my ability”, stated Steve Jr Robinson. He battled against many talented players including another small and hungry guard by the name of Zac Cooks. Cooks got the best of him with Graz registering a 3-1 record. “ Zach is tough. it was fun to play against someone who had some similarities in their games. Playing against someone like him makes it fun because you know you have to come ready to go every game. I definitely root for all the small guards because we open doors for each other. once one small guard gets a chance, it´s a win for all of us in my eyes.”, warned Steve Jr Robinson. He scored in double figures in 30 of 32 games and scored 20 points or more 23 times. He scored 35 points in his first game in Austria and also had other fine games like against the Timberwolves scoring 30 points. He will never forget his introduction to Austrian basketball against Arkadia. “Honestly, that was a crazy game! My adrenaline was so high and I was just excited to start the season. I didn´t know what to expect so I just went out and played as hard as I could”, remembered Steve Jr Robinson.

The explosive player who believes the classic Coming To America movie with Eddie Murphy should have been left alone and is playing with BBC Monthey-Chablais (Switzerland-SB) this season.. This season he belongs to the top guards in the first division averaging 18.5ppg, 2,5rpg, 4,6apg and 1,7spg. He has showed that little guards can be top guards. “I love all smaller guards. I never tried to mold my game after one player. I would always try to take bits from each player because two players that have the same exact skillset is rare. I love guys like Nate, Isiah Thomas, Dame, etc, because they are smaller guards and had to find different, challenging ways to score”, said Steve Jr Robinson. He has scored in double figures in 22 of 25 games including netting 34 points against Lugano and 33 points against Massagno. Even if winning has been difficult so far in his pro career, his will to be successful has always been there. “I play basketball to win. I don´t play to score 20. I don´t play to get 10 assists. I do whatever it takes to win the game. I pride myself on that. The stats are going to take care of themselves if your playing to win”, warned Steve Jr Robinson. Even if he is known as being a powerful scorer, he has always been a capable defender. His defensive game has grown in the last 3 years as he was always a top steal getter in Finland and Austria. “I would say I´m actually a pretty good defender. On the ball, I try to pressure the opposing guard as much as possible and keep him uncomfortable. I want to continue to improve in that area though, I feel like also my off the ball defense could be better and that´s what I´m going to continue to work on. I feel like I can get a lot more steals/be more disruptive if my off the ball defense gets better”, added Steve Jr Robinson. He joins a team that has reached the playoffs the last years and also have won cup´s in the past, but are still looking to make more of a run in the playoffs. Maybe 2023-2024 will be the year for big things to happen. He knows exactly on what area of his game he needs to improve on most. I am now working on becoming the best leader I can be. I want to be able to be that voice to make guys want to go/play harder. Being the point guard, I am the coach on the floor so the guys have to trust that my leadership is going to lead them to victory”, warned Steve Jr Robinson. His chip on his shoulder continues to be big a she works on leading his team to the playoffs. “The chip I have is already huge. I feel every year I get counted against because of my height. It sucks because I am a basketball player just like the rest and in some cases, I can do more than guys that are taller. But I´m just going to just continue to put the work in and remain hopeful for that opportunity”, stressed Steve Jr Robinson. This guy definitely has the right positive attitude and will go his way this season.