Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker played with Stanley Robinson for two seasons during the athletic forward’s tenure with the University of Connecticut before Robinson graduated and left the Huskies for a professional basketball career that took him around the world.
When Walker heard news on Wednesday that Robinson, just 32 years old, had been found dead, he said he was shocked.
“It’s tough,” Walker said. “I mean, it was really, really shocking to hear that news. I played with Stanley for two seasons. He was just a happy guy man, like, always smiling, always in a good mood. He was fun to play with. He was an upperclassman, so he was a guy who I watched before I got there. He was fun to play with, throwing lobs and stuff like that. So yeah, it’s just a really sad moment. I feel really bad for his family, his kids. He’s a Husky forever. May he rest in peace.”
Robinson is survived by his three daughters.
The University of Connecticut released a statement following news of Robinson’s death, which said Robinson “is not only remembered as one of the most athletic players in UConn history, thrilling fans time and again with spectacular dunks, putbacks and blocked shots, but also as one of the most likeable.”
Former UConn coach Jim Calhoun, who coached both Robinson and Walker, said Robinson -- who friends and teammates called “Sticks” -- never got the break he needed at the professional level but always had a smile on his face.
“I am truly heartbroken,” Calhoun said in the statement. “Stanley was such a beautiful person, caring and giving. He was a gentle soul, too gentle for this world.
“He was not only loved by his teammates, but everybody who met Sticks liked him. He will always be a Husky.”
Robinson tallied 1,231 points and 776 rebounds in four years with the Huskies. He spent multiple seasons in the G-League and played professionally in a number of countries.
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