Hyunjung Lee
February 20, 2024
Justin Robinson
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 12/10/97
- Place of Birth: Manassas, Virginia (USA)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 185
- Weight (KG): 88
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Virginia Tech (2015-2019)
- NBL DEBUT: 18/09/22
- AGE AT DEBUT: 24
- LAST NBL GAME: 13/03/24
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Illawarra 2023-24
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Justin Robinson was born and raised in Manassas, Virginia (USA). There he attended St. James School in Hagerstown.
He originally attended Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Maryland, playing basketball mostly as a reserve player and was a teammate of future NBA player Justin Anderson. He transferred to St. James School, Maryland before his junior year. He immediately became a starter at St. James and averaged 13 points and six assists per game in his junior season.
As a senior, Robinson averaged 21.8 points, 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game and was named the Washington County Player of the Year, Gatorade Maryland Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and a Parade All-American.
He was rated a three-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals.com and committed to play college basketball at Virginia Tech over offers from UNLV and Providence.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Justin Robinson made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 24 years of age. He scored 14 points in his first game.
Following two consecutive seasons of making the NBL semi-finals, the Illawarra Hawks entered the 2022/23 campaign with significant changes. Head coach Brian Goorjian exited to lead the Bay Area Dragons in the East Asia Super League, leaving longtime assistant Jacob Jackomas to take the reins. The coaching shift triggered a mass exodus of key players, with only Tyler Harvey and Sam Froling remaining from the Hawks’ primary rotation. Duop Reath left for Lebanon, Justinian Jessup signed in Spain, Antonius Cleveland moved to Adelaide, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes joined Melbourne. Veteran AJ Ogilvy retired, and Harry Froling signed with Brisbane.
To offset the losses, Illawarra signed local talent Deng Deng (via Brisbane), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (via Perth), and Mangok Mathiang, who returned to professional basketball after recovering from a long-term injury. The Hawks finalized their roster with import guards Justin Robinson and George King, both on one-year deals. On signing Robinson, Jackomas stated, “a great ball defender, key facilitator and most importantly a scorer.”
Robinson’s debut season ended abruptly in the first game when he suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee against the Sydney Kings. Although he played through the injury in the game’s closing stages, further medical evaluation revealed surgery was necessary, effectively ending his season. Kevin White was upgraded to the roster as Robinson’s replacement.
Without Robinson, Illawarra endured their worst season in franchise history, finishing 3-25. Tyler Harvey (18.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals) led the team offensively, while Sam Froling (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) was a standout, earning the Hawks’ MVP award.
2023/24
After the disastrous 2022/23 campaign, Illawarra entered the 2023/24 season seeking redemption. Jacob Jackomas returned as head coach, but the team underwent another significant roster overhaul. Todd Blanchfield was acquired from Perth via a buyout, with the Wildcats covering part of his contract. The Hawks also signed Mason Peatling (via Melbourne), Biwali Bayles (via Sydney), and Lachlan Olbrich (via NCAA). Korean shooter Hyunjung Lee joined under the NBL’s ‘Asian Player’ rule, while NBA prospect AJ Johnson was recruited through the Next Stars program.
Justin Robinson returned from his injury to full health, providing a significant boost to the backcourt. The team also signed NBA veteran Gary Clark as their third import. Illawarra’s core group, including Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, William “Davo” Hickey, and Daniel Grida, remained intact.
Despite promising preseason performances, the Hawks struggled in the early part of the season, hindered by injuries to Lee and Peatling. Clark (17 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists), Froling (15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists), and Harvey (15.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals) provided consistent contributions, but the team was unable to establish early momentum. By October, Illawarra’s record stood at 2-4, with wins over South East Melbourne and Cairns.
Two heavy defeats to Sydney and Cairns led to Jackomas parting ways with the team. Justin Tatum stepped in as interim head coach, overseeing an immediate turnaround. Under Tatum, the Hawks won four of their next six games. However, injuries continued to plague the roster, with Grida (5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.4 assists) sidelined after ten games due to a knee injury. Hickey’s emergence (5.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) helped stabilize the team, and the mid-season signing of former South East Melbourne guard Kyle Adnam added valuable depth.
Hickey delivered one of the season’s highlights in Game 2 of the semi-finals, recording career highs in minutes played (33) and points (18) while playing stellar defense against New Zealand’s Parker Jackson-Cartwright. The Hawks improved their offensive output significantly from the previous season, increasing their average points per game from 80.8 to 91.6, ranking fourth in the league.
Illawarra finished the regular season in fourth place with a 14-14 record, securing a spot in the play-in tournament. In the opening game, the Hawks were defeated by Tasmania (92-76) but bounced back to edge out New Zealand (88-85) in a thrilling contest, earning a semi-final berth against Melbourne.
The Hawks lost a tightly contested Game 1 to United, 115-106, after surrendering a halftime lead. They responded in Game 2 with a gritty performance to even the series with a five-point victory. However, their postseason run ended in the deciding game, falling short by six points and missing a Grand Final appearance.
Gary Clark emerged as the team’s standout player, delivering several high-scoring performances, including a season-high 38 points against Cairns. His efforts earned him the Hawks’ Club MVP award and a place on the All-NBL First Team. Justin Robinson appeared in 33 games, averaging 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.2 blocks, providing a strong return after his injury-shortened previous season.
Justin Robinson played two seasons the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 11.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 34 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 26 | Illawarra | 14-14 (4) | 33 | 891.6 | 396 | 92 | 145 | 17 | 75 | 31 | 7 | 70 | 76 | 134 | 322 | 42% | 40 | 126 | 32% | 88 | 107 | 82% | 53% | 48% | 26 |
| 2022-23 | 25 | Illawarra | 3-25 (10) | 1 | 31.0 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 25% | 0 | 9 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 25% | 25% | 10 | Totals | 34 | 923 | 406 | 97 | 153 | 19 | 78 | 32 | 8 | 70 | 80 | 139 | 342 | 40.6% | 40 | 135 | 29.6% | 88 | 107 | 82.2% | 52% | 46% | 26 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 26 | Illawarra | 14-14 (4) | 33 | 27.0 | 12.0 | 2.8 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 9.8 | 42% | 1.2 | 3.8 | 32% | 2.7 | 3.2 | 82% | 53% | 48% | 26 |
| 2022-23 | 25 | Illawarra | 3-25 (10) | 1 | 31.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 20.0 | 25% | 0.0 | 9.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 25% | 25% | 10 | Total | 34 | 27.1 | 11.9 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 10.1 | 40.6% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 29.6% | 1.2 | 4.0 | 82.2% | 52% | 46% | 26 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 26 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
He participated in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament following his senior season, averaging 7.7 points and six assists in three games played. He then went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Robinson played with the Washington Wizards on their 2019 Summer League team where he averaged 8.8 points 4.0 assists in five Summer League games.
Robinson then signed a deal to play with the Wizards on July 12, 2019. On October 23, 2019, Robinson made his debut in NBA, coming off from bench in a 100–108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Robinson averaged 1.4 points per game in nine games. Robinson was waived by the Wizards on January 5, 2020.
On January 21, 2020, the Delaware Blue Coats announced that they had acquired Robinson off waivers.
On December 6, 2020, Robinson signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. On December 7, he was waived by the 76ers.
Robinson was later included again in roster of the Delaware Blue Coats announced on January 14, 2021. In 13 games, he averaged 5.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.1 minutes while shooting 40.5 percent from three point range, helping the Blue Coats reach the NBA G League Final.
On April 5, 2021, the Oklahoma City Thunder signed Robinson to a 10-day contract. On April 15, he signed a second 10-day contract.
Robinson joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2021 NBA Summer League.
On September 15, 2021, Robinson signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, on a two-way contract with the Wisconsin Herd. However, he was waived on November 30, after appearing in 17 games.
On December 17, 2021, Robinson signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings.
On December 28, 2021, Robinson signed a 10-day contract with the Detroit Pistons.
Robinson joined the Utah Jazz for the 2022 NBA Summer League and the Charlotte Hornets for the 2023 NBA Summer League.
Robinson played 43 games in the NBA. He averaged 2.6 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- July 15, 2019: Signed a contract with the Washington Wizards.
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January 5, 2020: Waived by the Washington Wizards.
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December 6, 2020: Signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
-
December 7, 2020: Waived by the Philadelphia 76ers.
-
April 5, 2021: Signed a 10-day contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
-
April 15, 2021: Signed a 2nd 10-day contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
-
September 14, 2021: Signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
-
November 29, 2021: Waived by the Milwaukee Bucks.
-
December 17, 2021: Signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings.
-
December 28, 2021: Signed a 10-day contract with the Detroit Pistons.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 73% | 96% | 80% | 66% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 139 | 342 | 40.6% | 40 | 135 | 29.6% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 24 | Milwaukee | PG | 17 | 0 | 198 | 48 | 13 | 21 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 57 | 32% | 10 | 37 | 27% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 41% | 40% |
| 2021-22 | 24 | Sacramento | PG | 3 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 13% | 0 | 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 13% | 13% |
| 2021-22 | 24 | Detroit | PG | 5 | 0 | 91 | 28 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 28 | 32% | 8 | 21 | 38% | 2 | 6 | 33% | 46% | 46% |
| 2020-21 | 23 | Oklahoma City | PG | 9 | 0 | 88 | 21 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 33% | 4 | 14 | 29% | 3 | 5 | 60% | 45% | 43% |
| 2019-20 | 22 | Washington | PG | 9 | 0 | 49 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 42% | 3 | 5 | 60% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 54% | 54% | Total | 43 | 0 | 441 | 112 | 33 | 48 | 6 | 27 | 12 | 2 | 22 | 39 | 40 | 126 | 32% | 25 | 80 | 31% | 7 | 13 | 54% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 24 | Milwaukee | PG | 17 | 0 | 11.6 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 32% | 0.6 | 2.2 | 27% | 0.1 | 0.1 | 100% | 41% | 40% |
| 2021-22 | 24 | Sacramento | PG | 3 | 0 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 13% | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 13% | 13% |
| 2021-22 | 24 | Detroit | PG | 5 | 0 | 18.2 | 5.6 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 5.6 | 32% | 1.6 | 4.2 | 38% | 0.4 | 1.2 | 33% | 46% | 46% |
| 2020-21 | 23 | Oklahoma City | PG | 9 | 0 | 9.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 33% | 0.4 | 1.6 | 29% | 0.3 | 0.6 | 60% | 45% | 43% |
| 2019-20 | 22 | Washington | PG | 9 | 0 | 5.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 42% | 0.3 | 0.6 | 60% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 54% | 54% | Total | 43 | 0 | 10.3 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 32% | 0.6 | 1.9 | 31% | 0.2 | 0.3 | 54% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Italy - Trapani (2024-2025) | France - Paris (2025-2026)
Robinson signed a multi-year deal to play with Trapani Sharks in Italy for the 2024-25 season. After one year, he exited his contract to join Paris and play in the Euroleague competition.
COLLEGE
Justin Robinson attended Virginia Tech from 2015–16 to 2018–19, finishing his Hokies career with 1,383 points and a school-record 562 assists, becoming the program’s all-time assists leader during his senior season and closing as one of Virginia Tech’s most accomplished primary ball-handlers of the modern era.
Robinson entered the rotation immediately as a freshman in 2015–16, moving into the starting lineup during the season and finishing the year with averages of 7.3 points and 2.8 assists across 35 games with 19 starts as he began a four-year run as Tech’s lead organiser.
As a sophomore in 2016–17, Robinson started every game and took a major step forward as a playmaker, highlighted by his first career double-double at Boston College with 13 points and a career-high 11 assists, and he helped guide Virginia Tech back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.
That 2017 NCAA Tournament appearance ended in the first round against Wisconsin, but Robinson still posted 11 points and six assists, reinforcing the role he had built as the connective piece in Tech’s half-court offence.
Robinson’s junior season in 2017–18 became his breakout year at the ACC level, as he was named All-ACC Second Team after leading the Hokies in scoring at 13.8 points per game, lifting that to 16.2 points per game in conference play, while also leading the team with 171 assists and 35 steals.
He carried that momentum into his senior season in 2018–19, where his year included national recognition and watch-list traction, being listed as a Bob Cousy Award finalist, a Bob Cousy Award watch-list selection, and a pick on multiple national player-of-the-year watch lists, while also earning a spot on the Charleston Classic All-Tournament Team.
Robinson’s signature Virginia Tech moment came on January 26, 2019 against Syracuse, when he erupted for a career-high 35 points and eight assists in a 78–56 win, drilling a school-record nine three-pointers in the same game he became Tech’s all-time assists leader.
That performance earned him ACC Player of the Week honours (announced January 28, 2019), and it landed as one of the most explosive single-game shotmaking displays of his era, with 24 of his 35 points coming in the first half as Virginia Tech blew the game open early.
Robinson’s senior season was interrupted when a left foot injury sidelined him for 12 games, but he returned in time for the NCAA Tournament and came off the bench for nine points in Virginia Tech’s first-round win over Saint Louis, helping stabilise the group as they built momentum into the bracket.
He then played a major role in Virginia Tech’s Sweet 16 run, including a 14-point, five-assist, two-steal line against Duke in the Sweet 16, as the Hokies reached the regional semifinal round during his final college campaign.
Across his four seasons from 2015–16 through 2018–19, Robinson’s combination of scoring growth, late-game shotmaking, and record-setting distribution culminated in that 1,383-point, 562-assist résumé that still sits as the benchmark for Virginia Tech’s all-time assists standard.
AWARDS
- Second-team All-ACC (2018)
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First-team Parade All-American (2015)
Related
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