Arizona recruiting to get boost by adding Steve Robinson to coaching staff

Associate head coach Steve Robinson from North Carolina was a top assistant for Roy Williams for 26 years. But it was officially announced last week the legendary assistant was joining the Arizona Wildcat coaching staff. It’s a move that immediately sends ripples through the college basketball recruiting world.

“I want to first thank coach (Tommy) Lloyd for this opportunity to join his staff at a place with the history and tradition like the University of Arizona,” Robinson said in the news release from Arizona.

“We have gotten to know each other over the years, and I know relationships are very important to him, so I can’t wait to start building those relationships on and off the court with the rest of the staff and the young men in this program.”

Steve Robinson a big deal for UofA

This is a great steal for coach Lloyd. Steve Robinson is a master recruiter and guard developer.

At UNC he personally recruited Raymond Felton, Coby White, Ty Lawson, Danny Green, Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall, and Cam Johnson.

Robinson also put guards Marcus Paige and Joel Berry – who struggled early in their careers – under his wing and turned them into national championship contenders.

The goal every year at Carolina was a championship and he will bring that Championship mindset to Tuscon.

Robinson’s coaching, recruiting resume

Before becoming a Hall of Fame assistant coach and master recruiter Robinson first started as a head coach.

In seven seasons his overall record as a head coach was 110-104. His first stint was at Radford in 1984. After three seasons, he then went to Cornell as an assistant from 1986-88. In 1988, the Big Red made the NCAA Tournament. His early success landed him a job in another assistant role. This time for Williams at Kansas.

He held this position for seven seasons before becoming the head coach at Tulsa. In a short two seasons, he led the Golden Hurricane to a 46-18 record and won the WAC conference coach of the year.

His next destination was Florida State, where he coached the Seminoles for five seasons (1997-2002). After seven years, he returned to KU with Williams and was with him the legendary head coach retired. In 2002-03 when Williams decided to head back to North Carolina it was a no-brainer that coach Steve Robinson would join him in Chapel Hill.

“Steve Robinson has always been a brother to me,” Williams stated in his retirement speech.

In their 26 years, they won three national championships, made eight Final Four appearances and claimed nine conference regular-season titles in addition to five conference tournament crowns.