LITTLE ROCK, Ark — Little Rock men’s basketball coach Darrell Walker had a plan.
“We felt if we could get him, he would be a game changer for Little Rock basketball,” Walker said.
Well, they got him, and he’s changed the program. 13 games into his Trojan career, senior guard KK Robinson paces the team in most offensive categories.
“He’s playing at a high level because he’s a high-level player," Walker said.
It’s been a bit of a basketball odyssey for KK Robinson, who played at three different high schools and is now on his third collegiate stop.
“Each step of the way, I feel like I got better at some aspect of my life, on and off the court,” KK Robinson said.
After spending his senior year of high school at Oak Hill in Virginia, KK Robinson committed to play for the Arkansas. After two seasons with the Razorback, he transferred to Texas A&M.
But the final stop on his college basketball journey is full circle for the Little Rock native.
“It was a no-brainer for me," KK Robinson said. "I wanted to come back home.”
At long last, KK Robinson is feeling good off the court.
“Just coming back home," KK Robinson said. "Seeing my family in the living room, grandma's cooking, just the small things like that.”
On the court, KK Robinson cooks, leading the team in points per game and assists while ranking second in rebounds. He’s already had one triple-double this year and barely missed another last week.
“I wish we could have got him last year, but he went to A&M,” Walker said. “He’s been great. He’s been a leader.”
Those who knew KK Robinson in high school see it, too, especially Mike Abrahamson, who coached Robinson at Bryant.
“He looks like the guy that I coached, and he hasn’t looked like that for a couple of years," Abrahamson said. "I’m just happy for him because he’s the kind of guy you have to be happy for.”
And it all comes back to the root of life for KK Robinson — his family.
“Him coming back, we work out every night [and] I see him when I come home." Kellen Robinson, one of KK's four brothers, said. "I just missed my big brother."
Kellen Robinson is now a star basketball player at Bryant, and KK Robinson is happy he gets to attend games this year.
“They turn me up a lot after big shots," KK Robinson said. "I hear them in the crowd. It’s always good to have a familiar face in the crowd while playing the game I love.”