Boston College’s Jerome Robinson—Likely A First Round Pick in the NBA Draft—Has USF Ties In More Ways Than One

The 2018 NBA draft will take place tonight at the Barclays Center at 7 p.m. and although we won’t hear any USF men’s basketball players’ names called by league commissioner Adam Silver, we will likely hear a very familiar name called—if you followed USF basketball in the 1990s—in Boston College guard Jerome Robinson Jr., the son of former Bull Jerome Robinson, Sr.

The USF connections don’t end with his dad. Former USF head coach Stan Heath was on the Boston College coaching staff during Robinson, Jr’s first two seasons with the Eagles. Heath joined the BC staff ahead of the 2015 season after getting fired by USF after two sub-par seasons after the Bulls magical 2012 run in the NCAA Tournament. In doing so, he was reunited with former Kent State assistant Jim Christian, who is the head coach of the Eagles.

Robinson, Jr. has shot up draft boards heading into tonight’s draft. USA Today has the Milwaukee Bucks selecting the 6’5” guard with the 17th overall pick, and ESPN’s mock draft has him going 13th overall to the Los Angeles Clippers. It is believed that he will become the first child of a former Bull to get drafted in the NBA.

Sports Illustrated’s scouting profile on Robinson, Jr.:

• Capable of playing on or off the ball. Functioned more as the secondary playmaker and lead scorer next to Ky Bowman, but can pass it and initiate offense or run off a screen and make a play off the catch.

Has a craftiness to him that enables him to create off the dribble. Good at changing speeds. Can finish with both hands and pull up comfortably from mid-range and three. Knows how to pick his spots.

Robinson, Jr. earned a first-team all-ACC nod this year after averaging over 20 ppg and shot over 40% from three-point range. He exploded for a career-high 46 points against Notre Dame in February where he made seven three’s, which is also a career-high. He helped the Eagles knock off then-number one Duke 89-84 on December 9, 2017. The Eagles finished the year 19-16, their first winning season since the 2010-2011 season. Their seven conference wins were more than they had won in the previous three seasons combined.

Robinson Sr. played for the Bulls from 1993-1995, including an NIT in ‘95 run that saw USF win two games in a national tournament for the first time ever, beating St. John’s and Coppin State before falling to Marquette 57-50 in overtime in quarterfinals.

He, along with USF Hall of Famer Chucky Atkins, and Chamberlain High School alumnus Jesse Salters, led the 1994-1995 Bulls to an 18-12 season and finished 5-7 in the Metro Conference under head coach Bobby Paschal. Robinson Sr. was second in scoring behind Atkins (16.8 ppg) and averaged 14.5 ppg, and 5.6 rpg (third on the team) for the ‘94-95 Bulls.

Robinson, Jr. has worked out for nearly ten teams, including going for a work out yesterday with the Washington Wizards, and will be in the NBA Green Room at the draft along with his family.

Good luck Jerome.