Washington Huskies star announced on social media that he will undergo a kidney transplant on Friday. The three-time champion first revealed in October 2022 that he had been battling renal kidney failure for four years.
Since publicly sharing his diagnosis, he has been involved in fundraising efforts for the National Kidney Foundation.
Originally recruited to UW on a football scholarship as a cornerback, Robinson became a key figure in one of the most successful periods in Huskies history. His game-tying three-pointer in a dramatic comeback win over Oregon State during the 2003-04 season is widely seen as a turning point for the program. That victory ended a five-game losing streak and sparked a strong finish to the season, with UW winning 11 of its final 13 regular-season games, reaching the Pac-10 Tournament final, and making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in five years.
A standout at Seattle’s Rainier Beach High School, Robinson helped lead UW to its first Pac-10 Tournament title, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and a Sweet Sixteen appearance the following season. The 5-foot-9 guard earned two first-team All-Pac-10 selections, was named an All-American, and won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 2004-05, recognizing his excellence on the court despite his smaller stature. Over three seasons at UW, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.
Selected in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, Robinson played for six teams over an impressive 11-year career. He remains the second-shortest player to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, securing titles in 2006, 2009, and 2010—one of only two players under six feet to achieve the feat. In the NBA, he posted career averages of 11.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game.