UConn Nations Mourns Stanley Robinson

By
A Dime Back
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Stanley Robinson during the 2009 NCAA Tournament (Jim McIsaac/Getty)

Today UConn Nation mourned the loss of Stanley “Sticks” Robinson, who died suddenly in his home in Birmingham, AL at the age of 32. Sticks, who played for UConn from 2006-2010 was a beloved figure among the Husky faithful, both for his electrifying dunks and for his charming, kind personality. His infectious smile is indelibly etched into all our hearts.

Jim Calhoun, who spoke to Robinson as recently as Monday, said “I am truly heartbroken. 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.”

Meach has a beautiful piece about Sticks you can read here, and the rest of the staff at ADB also wrote some words to share our memories of Sticks.

“I have many enduring memories of Stanley’s time at UConn, most of which can be found in the great TCF dunk compilation, but my favorite Sticks moment came years after his playing career ended. He was the first player to take the court at Jim Calhoun’s annual charity game in 2016. I got the chance to chat with him a bit as he warmed up and was struck by how genuinely gleeful he was to be back on the court, wearing a jersey with “Connecticut” across the front, and playing with his fellow UConn alums. He and Charles Okwandu joked around as each launched three-pointers. As more players came out from the locker room, Sticks greeted them all with a hug and big smile. In the years since, it’s that smiling, easy going image of Sticks — at that point a father in his late 20s — that first pops into my head when his name is brought up and it’s the one that arrived this morning when I learned of his passing. Rest easy, Sticks.” – Tyler

“I covered Sticks’ recruitment my senior year in 2006 for The Daily Campus. After four years in Storrs where I was lucky enough to see Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon and Rudy Gay (among numerous other NBA Draft picks) in person, the general consensus from Calhoun on down through The Horde was that Robinson had the most raw athletic ability of any UConn recruit in recent memory. Even through his ups and downs at UConn, he was genuinely one of the most electric players to ever wear the uniform, and as fans we were so lucky to have had him as part of our Husky family. RIP Sticks.” – Chris

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“What I will remember most about Stanley Robinson, in addition to his other-worldly athleticism, is his perseverance. Choosing to work at a scrapyard in Willimantic to prove to his coach that he deserved to be on the team is something few other people would have done. But Sticks never gave up, and he came back better and stronger, and helped lead his team to a Final Four. His kindness and sweet spirit were well known, and we are the poorer for his loss.” – Meghan

“Stanley Robinson was the face of an era for UConn basketball. Like many fans my age, he is the guy I most associate with the teams from 2007-10. It’s not because he was the best player — though he’s up there — but it was the way he played. You had fun watching him because you could tell how much fun he was having himself. For those of us who never got to meet him in person, this is how we absorbed his personality. The high-flying dunks, the screams that forced their way through packed arenas and into the living rooms of thousands, and the infectious smile that he wore on the court. Watching some of his old games last weekend, I fell in love with his teams all over again. With Sticks finding his way into seemingly every big moment, how could you not?” – Russ

“Stanley reminded me of a lot of guys who it felt like they happened to also be great athletes, despite having somewhat atypical personalities for that level of sports. Players like that are often branded ‘head cases’ or ‘soft’ or ‘inconsistent’ (think Ricky Williams). Stanley could be inconsistent in his play, but there were few players as purely satisfying to watch as Stanley when he was on. In addition to the wide array of skills – he shot and handled the ball remarkably well for a guy who rebounded and blocked shots as well as he did – Robinson played with such an incredible energy. I’ll never forget a dunk he had on Glen Davis his senior year, exploding with a ferocious scream, and seeing the bewildered look on Big Baby’s face. What is this guy doing? Who gets that into every single dunk? Well Stanley did, and thanks to that energy, so did everyone who watched him play.” – Peter

Tributes and expressions of grief have flooded social media today, from alumni, former teammates, former opponents, fans and members of the media.

[Dove also shared a heartrending video to his IG story today. Our condolences on the loss of your friend, Dove.]

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