Draft Profile: Glenn Robinson III
By Zach Oliver
With the NBA Draft Lottery behind us, we shift our focus directly to the June 26th NBA Draft. Over the next month we’ll look at some of the top prospects in the draft, along with players that the Magic either reportedly worked out, or interviewed at the NBA Draft Combine. This time we’ll look at Michigan’s Glenn Robinson III, whom the organization interviewed at the draft combine.
After two years at Michigan, the son of former number one pick Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson is on his way to the draft. Glenn Robinson III, who was ranked 18th in the 2012 ESPN 100, is following in his father’s footsteps to the big league. Robinson had two different roles in his two years in the Maize and Blue, but was able to produce in both roles.
| Points | Rebounds | TS% | Usage % | Offensive Win Shares | |
| 2012-13 | 11.0 | 5.4 | 62.6 | 15.3 | 4.2 |
| 2013-14 | 13.1 | 4.4 | 56.6 | 22.3 | 2.8 |
What a difference a year can make. His freshman year, Robinson found himself playing alongside Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr, who were both named to the All-Rookie First Team this season. Having those two along side helped Robinson take on more of a secondary role, not being asked to do a whole lot.
His sophomore season, however, was a different story. Robinson was asked to take on a bigger role, and at times, struggled. His efficiency dropped without Burke and Hardaway Jr’s playmaking ability along side him, as did his overall impact on the offensive end of the floor, despite the fact he scored two more points per game.
Measurables
| Height w/shoes | Weight | Wingspan | Standing Reach | Max Vert |
| 6’ 5.5” | 211 | 6’ 10” | 8’ 4.5” | 41.5 |
Strengths
- Physical Tools
One of the more appealing things about Robinson is his combination of size and fantastic athleticism. He’s got great size to be a contributing wing player, and the speed and quickness to be lethal, especially attacking the basket. At the NBA Draft Combine, Robinson tied for the third highest max vert with UCLA’s Zach LaVine and Arizona’s Nick Johnson. His ability to elevate and finish around the rim, coupled with his great speed and quickness, make up arguably the strongest part of Robinson’s game.
- Finishing ability
Thanks to his great frame, Robinson is an elite finisher around the rim. He relied heavily on off ball movement and to get easy baskets close to the rim for much of his productions his freshman season. He’s a highlight waiting to happen, especially when he’s on the fastbreak. With his ability to finish strong around the basket, Robinson could have a slight leg up going against bigger and stronger competition at the NBA level.
Weaknesses
- Offensive Limitations
Despite being an elite finisher, Robinson’s offensive game lacks in many other areas. There’s questions about his jump shooting and his ability to be a solid and consistent floor spacer. He’s also got work to do in the creating area as well. He could very well live on his solid off ball movement and point guards ability to find him as a hard cutter, but he’ll need to find a way to keep defenses more honest at the NBA level, and a more consistent jump shot and better crating ability would do so.
- Rebounding
For a player with the physical tools that Robinson owns, he’s a below average rebounder. According to DraftExpress, Robinson was one of the worst rebounding small forwards in this draft class last season. His total rebounding percentage dipped from 8.9 percent to 8.0 percent from his freshman to sophomore seasons, so he’ll need to find a way to use his athleticism and length to be a better rebounder at the NBA level.
Conclusion
Robinson is a tantalizing talent who still has some growing to do to reach his full potential. He’s got the physical tools to be a solid contributor in the NBA, but will need to iron some areas of his game out before he’s able to. If he can prove to be fully engaged at all times on the defensive end, and show the ability to knock down the three ball with better consistency, a team could have a prototypical “3-and-D” type of guy.
Robinson has bounced around draft boards, and could go anywhere from the later parts of the first round, to the early parts of the second. With the Magic currently slated to pick fourth and 12th, it would appear they’d have to make a move to acquire another pick if they wanted to find a way to get Robinson on the roster. Wherever Robinson ends up, he’ll be someone who has the potential to excite fans every time he steps on the floor, and who knows, maybe he taps into his deep pot of upside even more.
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