Scary Situation Gives Robinson New Appreciation
PITTSBURGH – North Carolina’s losing has presented the Tar Heels with some serious adversity to deal with, but what Brandon Robinson experienced last week takes it up about ten thousand notches.
Robinson sat in front of his locker in the bowels of Petersen Events Center on Saturday afternoon willing to discuss the Tar Heels’ 66-52 loss to Pittsburgh while sharing a perspective gained after being in a car accident last Saturday night.
Scared, maybe even still shaken some, and definitely grateful, Robinson didn’t get into any of the specifics, even respectfully declining to share any information about possible lingering physical effects. He wasn’t cited for the accident, in which another driver was issued a DWI.
Robinson was well enough to play Saturday, which he did, scoring 12 points while playing 32 minutes for the Tar Heels.
“I just wanted to play the game and come out and help my teammates the best way I could,” he said. “I just wanted to play today.”
The accident, though, remains ever present in his mind. Who can blame him?
“Yeah, it was definitely a scary situation,” he said, looking down. “I’ve never had that happen to me, never gone through anything like that.”
Much like the message Roy Williams offered up following the loss about dealing with adversity and the challenges that come with it, Robinson has taken the opportunity of his traumatic experience to gain a greater appreciation for what he has in life.
“I’m very fortunate, things could have been a lot worse,” he said. “But, to put in perspective is I got an opportunity to come out here and play the game I love and just do what I love to do.
“That’s what I took away from it. I will never take anything for granted – never take this game for granted – because in an instance it can be taken away from you.”
The learning has been in abundance for the senior from Georgia. He has a national championship ring from his freshman season, but the Heels have slid to an 8-9 record after losing their fourth consecutive game Saturday, and twice to Pitt in a 10-day span.
Playing for a blue blood with UNC’s standard comes with plenty of demands, but add in a season like what Carolina is going through and you’re the senior and leader of the team? That’s quite a load.
Then, get into a car accident just after midnight, hit by a drunk driver about five hours after being on the team that lost at home to Clemson for the first time in 60 meetings in Chapel Hill, there’s a whole lot of perspective being challenged in Robinson’s world this week.
He’s not backing down, though.
“Adversity can teach you a lot about yourself,” he said. “You can give up or you can keep fighting and I’m not giving up, I’m going to keep fighting.”