Players Mentioned
Kornacki: Now is Duncan Robinson's Time
6/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 9, 2017
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Duncan Robinson has become more than just an outstanding three-point shooter. The rising University of Michigan senior's defense and all-around offense have steadily improved.
Wolverine head coach John Beilein views him as a key element on the 2017-18 team, and opportunities are there for the taking for Robinson.
When forward D.J. Wilson opted to leave after his junior season for the NBA Draft, it created an opening for Robinson to return to the starting lineup. And with senior co-captains Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton Jr. departing, there's also a big leadership void to fill.
"It was a great opportunity for D.J.," said Robinson, "and I realized that it might have implications on my role next year, too. Obviously, we had Derrick and Zak last year -- both two-year captains -- and I kind of fell into a secondary leadership role, doing what I could to lead by example. But in talking with Coach B, by mutual agreement, we see this as an opportunity for me to move into more of a primary leadership role to be a vocal and lead-by-example guy.
"Coach B has been great with me, and I'm really going to work at getting to know the new guys coming in. And my relationship with Coach B is getting to a really good place -- not that it was ever in a bad place. I'm excited to lead this team and do whatever it takes to help us win games."
Robinson, 6-foot-8, 215 pounds, can swing between the guard and forward positions. He scored 11.2 points and had 3.5 rebounds as a sophomore starter but last year played about nine fewer minutes per game coming off the bench and averaged 7.7 points and 1.7 rebounds while winning Michigan's Sixth Man Award.
-- Duncan Robinson
"I had preseason expectations after my sophomore year," said Robinson, who transferred after one season at Division III Williams College to become a rare success story at the major college level. "I had to adjust last year, and it was obviously tough. Everyone has personal goals, and I'm no different. But I kind of realized that it was a great opportunity to build my credibility if I could embrace that shift from moving out of the starting lineup and focus on doing whatever it took to help our team win.
"I feel I improved defensively, and the game kind of slowed down for me a little bit."
He's already 12th in career three-pointers at Michigan with 159, and his .439 shooting percentage from behind the arc has been exceeded by only three program sharpshooters -- Glen Rice (.480) and Sean Higgins (.448) of the 1989 national champions and Nik Stauskas (.441), the Big Ten MVP and NBA first-round pick who helped lead the Wolverines to the 2013 national championship game.
Where does he feel he needs to step up his game next season?
"I just want to be a more consistent presence on both ends of the floor and try to always be in the right spot defensively," he said. "And I want to help the other guys be on board schematically, and on offense being a little more than just a guy who can shoot and creating and being really aggressive.
"I'm excited for the opportunity and think it will be a great year."
He's spending 10 days back home in New England before returning to Ann Arbor to greet incoming freshmen Eli Brooks, Isaiah Livers and Jordan Poole as well as graduate transfer point guard Jaaron Simmons from Ohio University.
"I want to get in the gym with those guys and build my relationship with them as well as building my own game and getting stronger," said Robinson.
Winning the conference tournament after a harrowing experience on the team flight made for an unforgettable five days and four games in Washington D.C.
"It's tough to put it into words even now," Robinson said three months later. "It was an incredible experience, and I feel very fortunate to have been a part of it. Everyone who was fortunate enough to be in our locker room learned a lot about each other and the power of believing in one another and what people can do when they band together.
"There's a good core of us coming back who are eager to take what we learned and apply it right away to build and grow from it, and hopefully that will be our springboard for next year."
Their initial charter flight to the Big Ten Tournament required aborting a high-speed takeoff and an emergency exit by the players off the right wing after the plane crashed through a fence and over a ditch to come to a stop near a ravine.
"It was just a presence of thankfulness from then on," said Robinson. "It was just the added perspective of here we were battling for our basketball lives in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, but there was something much bigger in play here.
"Coach B reiterated that calmness, and there was a warming presence about him throughout our whole postseason -- whether it was the little things during timeouts or talks and postgame talks and talking about the opportunity we had to make the most of it. It's something that resonated with all of us, and it will always be with me."
The Wolverines beat Oklahoma State in a highly competitive game before upsetting No. 2 seed Louisville to advance to the Sweet 16. The dream run ended when Walton's three-point shot attempt to beat Oregon -- a team that reached the Final Four -- bounced off the rim.
"That was such a fun time," said Robinson. "We felt invincible, and it wasn't until that last shot against Oregon. I still couldn't believe we lost because we had so much going for us. But unfortunately, that ball didn't bounce our way. But to have those memories with those guys is something that can never be taken away from us.
"Making a run like that is so special that it just makes you more hungry to have another in your last year of college. This is my last year of college eligibility, and I'm excited to pour everything I've got into Michigan basketball and make it a great year. I'm fortunate and hope to make the most of it."
Robinson and teammate Andrew Dakich, who has transferred to Quinnipiac University after graduating from Michigan, started their "Dak and Dunc Show" audio podcast during the Big Ten tourney.
"It gave us the ability to communicate with people outside our locker room," said Robinson, "and give insight into what our team was about and what myself and Andrew were about.
"To hear how many people enjoyed listening to it was cool. All our podcasts had at least 10,000 listeners up into the near 40,000 range. So, it was fun being a part of it. People didn't even know Dak had a personality, and so it was funny to have that added perspective. It was fun to be a part of, and I'm glad we did it as a way to document what we went through."
Many of their teammates were guests on the show and so was Wisconsin star Nigel Hayes, whose team lost the championship game to the Wolverines.
Did it stir an interest in a possible broadcasting career after basketball in Robinson?
"I never would've thought I would have so much fun doing it," he said. "Setting myself up for something down the line wasn't the primary goal or purpose, but I think I learned something about myself.
"Maybe in the future, I can do something like that."
Robinson has enjoyed expanding his horizons and game at Michigan, where he's been up to every challenge and welcomes new ones.
