Fresno State forward Orlando Robinson got NBA attention. How ‘Dogs will be better for it

Fresno State forward Orlando Robinson spent his summer going through the NBA Draft process, working out for the Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans, going through the G-League combine where he had a chance to meet with 10 or 12 more teams. What he was looking for more than anything was the feedback, an NBA evaluation of his game and what he needed to work on, and there were no surprises.

“Affirmation, not epiphany – it was things he knew,” coach Justin Hutson said. “It was not a lot of, ‘Oh, wow, I didn’t know that …’”

It was the 3-point shot. It was defense and building strength and endurance, extending the time that he can spend on the floor efficiently and effectively. It was reading defenses and working through double teams. It was all of that, Robinson said, and more. But that last one could play huge for the Bulldogs this season with their most integral player, who missed out on an important summer of physical and skill development a year ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, better able to deal with those doubles in the low post operating as essentially a point forward or center.

“A whole lot better,” he said.

The big numbers with Robinson last season stand out, and landed the 6-foot-11 junior a spot on the All-Mountain West Conference second team. That’s the 14.6 points per game, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists. That’s the 11 double-doubles in 24 games, ranking in a tie for 19th in the nation.

But it also was not the most efficient season. Robinson, fighting through constant doubles in the low post, hit only 46.6% of his 2-point shots and led the Bulldogs with 3.1 turnovers per game.

It was new, the double teams, and there were a lot of moving parts on a team that had 10 players in their first seasons in the program, no summer workouts or skill development and a preseason that was twice shut down and impacted significantly by COVID-19.

Defeating double teams will be key for Bulldogs

“It affected him because he wants to try to do things and to help his team win, so they made him impatient,” assistant coach Tarvish Felton said. “As an analogy, it’s that quarterback who likes to throw those deep balls and then the defense takes it away, so he’s now having to throw those short passes to move the ball down the field.”

A better and more comfortable Robinson means that the Bulldogs will be better, and could develop into a surprise contender in the Mountain West after they were picked to finish sixth in a preseason media poll.

The pieces are there for the Bulldogs, who opened their season on Tuesday with a 74-54 victory over Fresno Pacific at the Save Mart Center. Point guard Isaiah Hill is back and Junior Ballard is close to a return from a shin injury. Jordan Campbell, Deon Stroud and Anthony Holland all return. Jemarl Baker, a transfer from Arizona, adds another consistent shooter and scorer, which Fresno State lacked game to game a year ago.

Robinson, also, is much better, more efficient. The competition level will ratchet up as the Bulldogs get deeper into the season, but in an exhibition against Division II Stanislaus State he hit 9 of 10 shots including one 3-pointer, got to the foul line five times and knocked down five free throws and had three assists against no turnovers.

And the ability to run offense through the 6-foot-11 junior in the low post only enhances the Bulldogs’ prospects at the offensive end of the floor, where they were lacking, inconsistent, in that disjointed 2020-’21 season.

“We’re much better because he’s better,” Felton said.

Robinson worked on his strength in the weight room and battling in practices with the 7-foot Braxton Meah.

“I can hold my ground a little more,” he said. “Me and Braxton battle every day, all the time. It’s a constant battle. Every day we’re going at it, and that just makes both of us stronger.”

He worked on his shot and scoring through contact.

“When I catch it there, another person is coming, so I had to work on my quick finish, just catching and going up,” Robinson said. “The longer I stay down there, the quicker they’re going to come double and I’m not going to have that opportunity where I’m one on one, mano a mano.

“The quick finish was a big part of that, too, being able to go up strong through contact, right when you get the ball deep in the paint. It’s too quick for a double team. It’s too late because I’m already up in the air.”

Bulldogs’ Robinson: ‘We have to punish them …’

He is recognizing and reading defenses better, making better decisions more quickly.

“Defenses will double team me. I’m aware,” he said. “But there will be some that don’t and I have to pick which times I want to be aggressive and be a facilitator. Last year I was kind of figuring that out with a new team, but now that we’ve played together throughout the summer … it has been an education for me, and I feel very comfortable putting myself in those positions to make those decisions.”

What comes next, Hutson said, is making teams pay for doubling in the low post. That could be Robinson scoring around the basket, finding an open shooter at the 3-point line or a cutter through a gap to the rim.

“Handling double teams is not easy,” he said. “The whole premise of that is to get him off balance. It’s not an easy thing to do for people that are a lot older than he is. Recognizing where he is and reading the defenses he’ll be better. But sometimes he’s going to have to take an 8- to 10-foot shot. Sometimes, he’s going to have to pass out of a double team. Sometimes, he’s going to have to catch it in lower and go up before they get there.

“I think understanding how to take advantage of reading defenses is going to get better and better, and I think everyone else has a better feel.”

What that looks like on the floor will be in development through a non-conference season that includes games at Utah and at Cal. But the possibilities are intriguing and one thing, Robinson said, is clear. “We have to punish them. If we don’t punish them they get away with it …

“The way to get teams out of double teaming me is by draining threes,” he said. “If they put two guys on one person, there’s somebody open and if that somebody is knocking downs shots and getting to the basket and making plays and putting pressure on the defense, they’re going to be like, ‘What are we going to live with? Are we going to live with Orlando one-on-one or are we going to give up wide-open threes?

“They’re going to be worried about Jemarl, not me. They’re going to have to figure out something for him, for Zay, for Braxton. If anything, I’ll be the least of their worries. It’s going to be a very fun year.”

If you’re going to the game …

COVID-19 guidelines: Based on public health guidelines, anyone 2 years old and older must be fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to attending games at the Save Mart Center. Face coverings are encouraged for fully vaccinated and required for any un-vaccinated individuals.

Mobile ticketing and parking: Online tickets and parking passes have been implemented to expedite ticket delivery and the transfer of tickets as well as to help reduce person-to-person contact points at Fresno State athletics events. All fans are encouraged to download their game tickets and parking passes to their smartphone in advance of arrival at Save Mart Center. More mobile ticket information is available at gobulldogs.com.

Clear bag policy: Only Clear Bags made of clear plastic, vinyl or PVC will be allowed inside the Save Mart Center. The bags must not exceed 12” x 6” x 12.” Small clutch bags, 4.5” x 6.5” x 2” can be taken into the arena in addition to one of the approved clear bags.. An exception will be made for any necessary medical items, but all such items are subject to inspection prior to entry.

This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 2:39 PM.