Stats add up to star
Robinson will go high in NBA draft
AKRON, Ohio – Only one player in Kansas basketball history amassed more rebounds in one season than the 463 Thomas Robinson pulled down last year.
That was Wilt Chamberlain.
No one in the country had more double-doubles last season than Robinson, who had a school-record 27 of them. And in the national championship game, Robinson had 18 points and 17 rebounds against Anthony Davis and the Kentucky Wildcats.
All of that helps explain why Robinson was so irritated when Davis appeared at the NBA combine earlier this month wearing a black T-shirt that read “CHECK MY STATS.”
“If you want to check the stats, then I’d be the No. 1 pick easily,” Robinson fired back. “I should get one of those shirts. Get a shirt that says ‘Numbers don’t lie.’ ”
If this were strictly a numbers game, Robinson would be challenging Davis for the top overall pick in Thursday’s draft. He spent his first two seasons at Kansas backing up current NBA players Cole Aldrich and the Morris twins (Marcus and Markieff).
When he finally got his opportunity, Robinson was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and was the first unanimous Associated Press first team All-American since Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin in 2009. Not even Davis could accomplish that feat – he was listed on 63 of the 65 ballots.
“I think I play with a different level than everybody else – a different intensity level,” Robinson said. “I’m going to play every night. That’s not something every guy does. Everybody doesn’t show up every night on a consistent basis. Out of this group, I’d say I’m one of the players that does.”