Robinson to visit to two schools
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In addition to the heat and the July "live" period for AAU tournaments, the dog days of summer are also times when basketball prospects begin trimming their list of schools and setting up visits. Four-star Douglasville (Ga.) guard Brandon Robinson is no exception.
With a lengthy list that includes offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Tennessee. Robinson talked to Rivals.com about which schools he's hearing from the most consistently and two schools that he definitely plans to visit.
"Florida, Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech and Maryland, I hear from the most," Robinson said. "Some schools that haven't offered me that are talking to me a lot are North Carolina, California, Texas Tech, Texas A&M."
Robinson has known Florida State assistant Charlton "C.Y." Young and Maryland assistant Cliff Warren for some time. The relationship he has built with those two assistants, Robinson said, has earned their programs official visits.
"Coach Cliff (Warren) is a great guy; he's been recruiting me since before anybody else had seen me," Robinson said. "I've known him since I was little because he and my dad are good friends. When I was in the ninth grade, we were playing in a tournament when he was still coaching at Jacksonville. Then he left there and the next weekend he called my dad and told him that he was going to a bigger school and he was going to recruit me as soon as he got there. They (Maryland Terrapins) were one of my first offers and have been on me hard. Them and Florida State. I'm trying to take an official visit there and probably Florida State.
"Coach C.Y., I've been knowing him since I was little. He was also recruiting me when nobody really knew about me. When he left Georgia Southern for Florida State, he called my dad and told him that he was going to recruit me. I've got great relationships with those guys."
The 6-foot-5 guard was fresh off a trip to Gainesville with his Douglas County High School teammates for Florida's team camp. At the camp, he spent most of his time playing point guard, facilitating for his teammates and splashing jump shots that seemed to float effortlessly through the air. Robinson also noticed the Gators coaching staff keeping a close eye on him during the camp.
"They were at every one of my games that we played at their team camp and I like that because that's showing me that they really want me," Robinson said. "They're recruiting me hard. They say they love my game and they want me there bad. Playing in front of college coaches is a blessing. It's a great thing because not a lot of people have opportunities like I do and the rest of my teammates too. I just want schools to know that I'm an all-around player and I can do whatever it takes to win the game. If they need me to play the one, I'll play the one, if they need me to play the two, I'll play the two."
The No. 56 prospect in the Rivals150, Robinson plays for a loaded Georgia Stars AAU team that features Udoka Azubuike, Wendell Carter, Florida State commit Trent Forrest and Auburn commit Jared Harper. The Georgia Stars are 14-3 in the Nike EYBL and considered one of the favorites to win the Peach Jam next month.
"I think this spring on the EYBL I played real good," Robinson said. "My team played good, we finished second. I think at Peach Jam, I'm going to break out again and play even better. We compete every day. It kind of gives me an idea of what college is going to be like because everybody is good on our team. Udoka is an animal. So it's good to go against someone who is bigger than me and way stronger than me."
Robinson has taken unofficial visits to Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Auburn and North Carolina. This weekend he heads to Los Angeles for The Nike Skills Academy.
Russ Wood is a basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com and Inside the Gators. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.