Larry Robinson (Texas basketball)

Larry Robinson is an American former professional basketball player better known for his college career at the University of Texas at Austin between 1971 and 1974. Robinson was the first African-American to sign a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Texas and is considered a pioneer of racial integration at the school, which at the time was mostly Caucasian and predominantly a football school.[1] A native of Hobbs, New Mexico, he was unheralded for most of Hobbs High School career.[2] Texas head coach Leon Black recruited him however, and Robinson enrolled in the fall of 1970.

Not to be confused with Larry Robinson (basketball, born 1968).

Larry Robinson
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Career information
High schoolHobbs (Hobbs, New Mexico)
CollegeTexas (1971–1974)
NBA draft1974: 4th round, 59th overall pick
Selected by the Houston Rockets
PositionForward
Career highlights and awards

College career

Due to NCAA rules at the time, freshmen were not eligible to play varsity sports, so Robinson was forced to play on the Texas freshmen basketball team in 1970–71. In the three years that followed, Robinson etched his name into the Longhorns record book. As a sophomore, Robinson led Texas to a Southwest Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance, where they made it to the Sweet Sixteen.[1] He was named to the all-conference first-team as well as being voted as the Southwest Conference Player of the Year.[3][4] As a junior, Texas did not win the conference nor get a postseason invitation. In Robinson's final year (1973–74), he once again led the Longhorns to a conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance, where they lost in the first round.[2] He earned his second all-conference team and conference player of the year honors.[3] Robinson finished his collegiate career with 1,377 points and 623 rebounds.[3]

Professional career

He was selected in the 1974 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets in the fourth round, 59th overall, but never played in the league.[5] Robinson instead played in Europe and spent 10 years in Sweden where he was a star, at one point averaging over 35 points per game for a season.[2] In his post-basketball life, Robinson spent a long time as an executive for Converse in Europe.[2] He was inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Honor in 1989.[3]

References
  1. Callahan, Garrett (May 7, 2015). "Larry Robinson paved the way for the rest". The Daily Texas. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  2. Ross, Stephen (May 10, 2013). "Jimmy Blacklock: Longhorn Basketball Trailblazer". SB Nation. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  3. "Texas Longhorns Hall of Honor". University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  4. "Southwest Conference Player of the Year History". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  5. "1974 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
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