When the hands of Devin Robinson (Virginia, United States, 1995) are shaken, his nails attract attention. It reads: “Copa 2024”. So it is not difficult to imagine the excitement that Baxi Manresa’s most highly rated player has before the match in Malaga. An illusion that turns into sympathy and closeness when addressing this interview, even when it comes to recalling the most complicated moments of his sports career.
Manresa is having a very good season.
Yes, much better than the previous one, which is always good. We still have a lot to improve and prove to our people, but I think we are playing pretty well.
What do you expect from the match against Barça in Malaga?
That we compete We have already played them twice this season so we know them well and I expect us to compete and make them sweat until the end.
The King’s Cup is a very special tournament in Spain.
It’s a great platform and the best place to showcase your talent. I think the energy that’s always there is crazy. You have to be prepared.
How is Pedro Martínez as a coach?
He pays a lot of attention to small details so that later he can achieve great things. These are things I had never noticed in my career before arriving at Manresa. He likes us to control the zone, to run and to put a lot of energy into it. He is a great coach, I really like his method.
Did you know him?
No, but they had told me about it. A colleague told me he was tough, but I thought I could handle him.
And could it with him?
The first day he was very much on top of me and almost scared me. But as you peel back the layers and get to know him, you realize that he is very easy to work with.
You have experienced many different stages in your career: Taiwan, Puerto Rico… What memories do you have of them?
They have all been different. In Taiwan, for example, basketball is played more focused on entertainment, which flows easily. On the other hand, in Puerto Rico they play much more physically, they talk more, it’s tougher. This prepared me to play in Europe because before that I had never played here. The Spanish League, for example, is very demanding and I love competing and I love the passion I detect here. Every match is important.
Did it surprise you?
The truth is, it’s more than I expected. The energy in the stands and the way you play on the court, where you pass the ball non-stop, is something I had not experienced.
What do you remember from your eight games in the NBA?
Basically, not knowing what to expect. I was just jumping on the floor and playing to earn a spot in the squad. It was a tough time because he was straddling the D-League and the NBA. But I learned to be professional on and off the court. It was a stage in which I learned a lot.
Has he closed that door?
It’s always open somewhere in my mind. But now I’m focused on improving every day in Manresa. We’ll see.
In Washington, he had a nighttime incident in a bar that marked his NBA career, what did he learn from it?
Well I learned a lot about myself. I learned to keep my head in place. It was a time when I was always angry because I didn’t have minutes. I wanted to play in the NBA but I was very immature, and all that made me realize that things can be taken away from you and you can end up in a very deep hole. From then on I changed to try to be the person I really wanted to be.
How did he get it?
Looking inward, accepting who I was and changing the negative things. In those days I listened to everything they told me, that I should do this or that. I let others tell me what to do. I ended up deciding to isolate myself from the noise and focus on what I needed to do and let the rest work itself out.
