KEITH ROBINSON
GROVER CLEVELAND & NOTRE DAME BASKETBALL STAR
Basketball has always played a big part in Keith Robinson’s life. The son of Horace and Mary Robinson, Keith, along with his brother Kenneth, grew up on the east side of Buffalo. His unique talents emerged in the fifth grade where impromptu pick up sessions with then Physical Education teacher, Mr. Gregg, sparked an enduring love for the game that would define his future.
At Grover Cleveland High School, Robinson averaged 11.3 points per game as a sophomore and 27.4 points per game as a junior. As a senior, the numbers were even more impressive averaging 30.4 points, 22 rebounds and 6 blocks per game. He was named first team All WNY in 1984-85 and 1985-86, and concluded his outstanding career at Grover Cleveland being tagged Mr. Basketball in New York. He scored an impressive 1527 points and was named to the McDonald’s High School All American Team. In 2009, he was named 4th team all-time All WNY by The Buffalo News.
Several college offers finally landed Robinson at Notre Dame where he ranked in the top 20 nationally his senior year in both field goal % (.607) and free throw % (.870). He holds the distinction of being the only player legendary college figure Digger Phelps ever coached who ranked in the top 20 for those two categories in the same year.
Robinson led the Irish in scoring average as a senior and ranks 38th in career scoring with 1073 points, but more importantly he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.
Robinson summed up his stellar college career this way: “At Notre Dame, I had the opportunity to have the best of both worlds, attend a great academic university and play the game I love so dearly – in addition to meeting some incredible individuals both on and off the hardwood.”
After college, the CBA came calling with Robinson playing professionally for Quad City in 1991-92 and Omaha in 1992-94. His career also took him to Europe with stops in Spain (92-94) France (94-95) and England (95-97), before closing out his professional career in Italy (98-99).
Robinson has many people to thank for his basketball journey. In a recent interview, he praised individuals who played a major role in his basketball career and defined who he is today; Jerry Obstein (Public School 66) Pat Jackson and Bob Floyd (Father Bell Community Center), Kenny Berry (Coach), Chris Fuller (“Big Man” Coach), Art Serotte and Harry Ward (Grover Cleveland).
Today, Robinson gives back by working in an Atlanta psychiatric hospital where he works closely with young individuals with behavior issues. In addition, for the last 25 years, he has been teaching, coaching and helping thousands of young athletes, both boys and girls, including coaching a girls’ AAU basketball team since 2007.
Robinson lives in Douglasville, GA with what he deems as his greatest accomplishments, wife Andrea, daughters Amari and Kennedi and son Dominic. Basketball has truly come full circle for Keith Robinson. He will be forever indebted to the individuals who believed in the energetic driven kid from the east side of Buffalo, who followed his passion to become one of the greatest basketball players ever to come out of Western New York.
