MISSISSAUGA– Devin Robinson is a player of routine.
As his fellow Raptors 905 players were practicing before their Tuesday contest against the Windy City Bulls, Robinson could be found on the bench. Loosening himself up, talking to his coaches and gathering his thoughts.
Getting in the right frame of mind is important for the 6’8 forward. His alone time on the bench has translated to a dominant brand of basketball on the court. Coming into the Windy City game, Robinson was fifth in the G-League in scoring, averaging 23.4 points per game. In their thrilling 143-141 triple-overtime victory against the Erie Bayhawks, the 905 forward put up a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double.
On Tuesday against the Bulls, the Devin Robinson show continued. Before having to exit the game due to a knee injury, Robinson put up 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, eight rebounds, and two three-pointers.
From setting up teammate Shamorie Ponds for a three to faking a jump shot before going in for a layup, using his size to dunk over Windy City players and generating “and one” fouls, Robinson displayed a complete effort. Exemplifying the high-level he can achieve on a competitive Raptors 905 team.
“When we defend as a team and run, we are at our best,” said Robinson after the win over Windy City. “My teammates find me in positions I need to be in, allowing me to play hard.”
The Raptors 905 recorded their second consecutive win, a 113-95 victory over Windy City. After starting 0-4, and dealing with a plethora of injuries and roster changes, Robinson believes that this adversity is important for his team. It strengthens the mental fortitude of the players and coaches that can pave the way for the Raptors 905 to start winning consistently.
“It just made us realize that it is not going to be easy,” said Robinson on the slow start. “We have the talent but it is not going to show unless we work hard. We ramped up practices and film sessions. Now, it is about digging deep and just going out there and playing basketball.”
For Robinson, his size has made him a force all throughout his basketball career. Averaging 24 points, ten rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists per game at Christchurch School in Virginia afforded Robinson the honour of Virginia Prep League Player of the Year. It would precede Florida’s recruitment of the forward, molding him into an athletic player on both ends of the floor.
However, as Robinson explains, the transition to high school to college basketball took time to adjust. But to this day, the 24-year-old credits the coaches at Florida for giving him the belief and confidence to one day have a professional basketball career.
“Off the court, everyone enjoyed being around Devin,” said Florida Gators assistant coach Darris Nichols. “On the court, he learned to shoot over the top of people, enabling him to make shots. It was his improved offense, along with his defensive skill set that got our team to the Elite Eight.”
Robinson’s college basketball career would climax in 2016-17 when he averaged a career-best 11.1 points per game. Despite being undrafted, Robinson would jump between G League teams; from the Delaware 87ers and Westchester Knicks to the Capital City Go-Go.
His fourth and current stop in the G League is the Toronto Raptors affiliate Raptors 905. And through six games played so far, Robinson is demonstrating that he is taking the next step in his game.
As Raptors 905 coach Jama Mahlalela explains, the task for Robinson now is to establish consistency. When watching the forward play, one may draw comparisons to the Raptors Canadian Chris Boucher in terms of their length and athleticism on the court.
“Devin can play full court, bring the ball up himself, and beat his defender on one-on-one scenarios,” said Mahlalela. “He needs to keep rebounding and play each possession with importance. That’s his pathway back to the NBA; a focused sense on every possession and more efficiency on those possessions.”
On a night where Raptors President Masai Ujiri, Head Coach Nick Nurse and several Raptor players were in attendance, Robinson did not disappoint. His tough, ferocious defense succumbed the Windy City offense to just a 30 percent field goal percentage. Even with the game in the Raptors 905’s control, Robinson was still hustling to make offensive boards in the fourth quarter. Giving his team the opportunity to extend the lead and the exclamation point on the victory.
“Devin has really matured,” said Robinson’s teammate Oshae Brissett. “That’s a big credit to our coaching staff. He is starting to know that you can’t just be keeping contested two’s. Defensively, he is our anchor, locking down the opposing lineup one to five.”
Tuesday was not just a regular-season G-League game but a chance to give thanks to Raptors 905 alumni. Many of whom, like Boucher, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and Malcolm Miller, have gone on to the Raptors and were a part of the team’s championship fabric.
In the fast-paced style that Coach Mahalela implores his team to embrace, Robinson is fitting into it impeccably so far. Through five games, the Raptors 905 forward has become a consistent offensive and defensive threat.
And as Robinson says, there is no ceiling to where he can go as a player.
“We want to go as far as possible; we are taking it game by game and day by day.”
