Ty Robinson took the world by storm during his redshirt freshman season at Central Arkansas. The 6’4”, 190-pound guard stuffed the stat sheet, and he was rewarded with selections to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman and All-Atlantic Sun Second Team as a result. With a full year of on-court experience under his belt, Robinson is primed to take yet another step forward this coming season.
Offense
Ty Robinson’s offensive skill set is wide-ranging, but it starts with the threat of his shot. He was lethal from distance last season, connecting on 37.4% of his triples while launching 12.4 attempts per 100 possessions. Better yet, Robinson is dynamic from deep. He went 42.3% on threes off the bounce, 43.3% in transition, 37.9% off screens, and 37.5% coming around handoffs. As a result, he’s able to keep defenders honest in pick-and-roll settings, and teams cannot afford to lose track of him off the ball.
Robinson leverages this gravity to both score on the interior and make plays for others. His pump-fakes and cuts create consistent downhill opportunities for him. He applied meaningful pressure to the rim, taking 27.4% of his halfcourt shots at the basket, and he converted an outstanding 63% of them. His powerful frame allows him to hold his line and finish through contact. Still, he’s quick enough to stampede towards the rim for clean finishes, and crafty enough to beat defenders inside with clever fakes and footwork. Plus, he has exceptional vision. Robinson can thread needles on the move and make advanced reads on the go, which helped him register a near 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio. Regardless of where Robinson is on the floor, and whether he has the ball or not, he has no shortage of ways to punish defenses and create high percentage shots for his team.
Defense
Ty Robinson is one of the best off-ball defenders in college basketball. He has an extraordinary ability to process the game and read the opposing offense. Throw in his quickness, and he’s constantly able to make plays in gaps and passing lanes. His 4.0 STL% was an elite mark that ranked 13th in the country among all underclassmen. Beyond that, he brings serious value at the point of attack. His powerful frame enables him to guard multiple positions comfortably, as he has the footspeed to keep up with guards and the strength to body up against larger opponents. Plus, he gets after it on the glass, boasting a 17.0 DRB% more common among power forwards than guards. Robinson’s elite turnover generation creates frequent high-leverage transition scoring opportunities for his team, and he still brings traditional on-ball fundamentals to the table, making him a well-rounded, potent defender.
Conclusion
Ty Robinson is entering his third college season, and he’s already built an impressive resume. His dynamic three-point shooting, excellent interior finishing, sharp playmaking, outsized rebounding impact, and elite defensive production make him as versatile a player as can be found in college basketball. He’s primed to take yet another step forward for the Bears this coming year.