San Jose State forward Shon Robinson shoots a 3-point jumper from the wing during a game against the Cal State Fullerton Titans on Nov. 21, 2021 inside the Provident Union Credit Event Center in San Jose Calif. (Photo Courtesy of SJSU Athletics)
By Aidan Bostic (@bostic_aidan) — Reporter
As the San Jose State men’s basketball team goes through a rebuild, one of its exciting new pickups, Shon Robinson is somebody to look out for.
Originally from Chicago, Robinson was used to the high-intensity basketball environment that city life has to offer at a young age.
Robinson attended Morgan Park High School on Chicago’s southside, which has been home to some great athletes, including Chicago Bulls rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu.
Robinson also played AAU basketball for the Mac Irvin Fire, one of the nation’s most prestigious club programs.
Robinson put himself into programs that were going to help him excel. Robinson moved to Gilbert, Arizona. As a sophomore he attended Eduprize High School and put up dominant numbers, averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game. Robinson would lead the eagles to a 26-2 record and a CAA Division II State Championship.
Robinson was ranked No. 85 nationally in the 2020 class by ESPN and he decided to attend Mississippi, where he redshirted his freshman year and played limited minutes his second year.
“Ole Miss was … a school that I put a lot of trust in,” Robinson said. “They built a relationship with me and a lot of coaches weren’t trying to build that.”
While Robinson put a lot of trust into the coaching staff at Ole Miss, he was ready to move back out west to become a fundamental piece of a team.
Under new head coach Tim Miles, the Spartans are trying to build a team that can take over the Mountain West. Robinson jumped at the opportunity to play under coach Miles, and it has proved to be beneficial for his game, as well as the Spartans’ success.
“I just felt like I wanted to come back to the west coast … I wanted to be somewhere nice and sunny,” Robinson said. “And then just me finding out that coach Miles got this job … he gave me an offer that I couldn’t really pass up.”
Robinson has embraced his role as the Spartans’ big man and his relationship with coach Miles has allowed them to set a foundation for a team that is trying to build a dominant program. As the pieces come together, Robinson will have the freedom to tap into his potential.
“You’re in a situation at Ole Miss, where you’re not playing very much,” Miles said. “Now you’re coming where we depend on you for winning and losing. That’s a different role, a different responsibility. Shon’s growing into that better and better.”
At 6 feet 9 inches and 205 pounds, Robinson makes his presence felt on the floor. His wingspan allows him to be a proficient shot blocker and he has 17 blocks on the season. His ability to understand the game and navigate the floor is what caught the Spartans’ coaching staff’s attention.
“His mind for the game is outstanding,” Miles said. “You can tell him, ‘Hey, I’m going to make up a play’ and he can see it in his mind. A lot of guys, you have to draw it out, walk them through it. Shon’s got a unique ability to know the game that way. It comes really naturally to him too. It’ll make him a good coach if he ever wanted to do that.”
Robinson has solidified his spot in the Spartans’ lineup and now he is trying to perfect his craft.
“I’ve always been this 3-point shooter big, but the post-up stuff that y’all are seeing is actually the newest addition to my game,” Robinson said. “I just have to improve on everything. I got to be a better player overall for my team.”
Robinson has become very close with his teammates over the course of his first season.
“That’s one of my best friends and hopefully we can keep this relationship forever,” said sophomore forward Trey Anderson. “We might argue, we might fight, but at the end of the day we know we want to bring the best out of each other.”
As the Spartans pick up additional pieces and form a cohesive unit, Robinson will cement himself as one of their leaders. Under coach Miles and with the help of Robinson, the Spartans’ men’s basketball program is taking a step in the right direction.