Clifford Robinson, an early star in UConn’s rise to power and longtime top sixth man in the NBA, died Saturday. He was 53.
Robinson’s death was confirmed by UConn. No cause of death was given, though former Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said Robinson had a stroke 2 1/2 years ago.
“It’s really sad to hear of this, because he was one of my kids, my players, a guy I watched grow into a man,” Calhoun said. “It’s not an easy thing.”
Nicknamed Uncle Cliffy, Robinson played 18 seasons in the NBA and helped the Portland Trail Blazers reach two NBA Finals. He remains fifth on Portland’s all-time scoring list.
The Trail Blazers released this statement:
“The Trail Blazers organization is deeply saddened about the passing of Trail Blazers great Cliff Robinson. Robinson started his career in Portland in 1989 and stayed for eight seasons before continuing his 18-year career in the NBA. His personality and energy were unmatched, and his contributions on the court were unmistakable, helping the Trail Blazers into the playoffs each of his eight seasons with the team. His streak of 461 consecutive games played with the Trail Blazers still stands as a franchise record, which is a testament to his hard work and dedication to the team. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Cliff’s family and loved ones. Uncle Cliffy will be greatly missed by the Trail Blazers and all of Rip City.”
Rest In Peace Uncle Cliff 🙏🏽 https://t.co/B1TbaMAmCK
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) August 29, 2020
Clifford Robinson was born on Dec. 16, 1966, in Buffalo, New York. He was the centerpiece of Calhoun’s early teams at UConn. He played in Storrs from 1985-89, helping guide the Huskies from the bottom of the Big East to the 1988 NIT championship.
The UConn Basketball family mourns the loss of a legendary player and person, Clifford Robinson. Our thoughts and prayers are with Cliff’s family at this difficult time 🙏
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) August 29, 2020
Rest In Peace, Cliff. pic.twitter.com/Bp6Z5hbVUb
“He was our first great player,” Calhoun said. “He gave legitimacy to the program.
“As a player coming in, here’s this guy playing on TV for the Trail Blazers, watching him play, watching UConn being mentioned. You could not pay for the exposure that he gave us.”
Robinson was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1993 and made his lone All-Star appearance the following year. At 6-foot-11, he had the size of a center but was a skilled outside shooter, a predecessor of the modern NBA big man.
He played 1,380 games in the league, ranking in the top 15 all-time. Besides the Blazers, Robinson also played for Phoenix, Detroit, Golden State, and the Nets.