Detroit Pistons forward Glenn Robinson III's goal? He wants to start

Vince Ellis | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption New Detroit Pistons wing Glenn Robinson III: Michigan fans encouraged me to join team Glenn Robinson III speaks to reporters in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 7, 2018, after signing with Detroit Pistons.

LAS VEGAS — The work was paying off.

The hours in the gym getting up shots.

The moments of hard work in the weight room.

All the skill development on the basketball floor.

Everything was going to work out for Glenn Robinson III.

Entering his third season with the Indiana Pacers, the former Michigan Wolverine was on the cusp of firmly establishing himself as a solid rotation player in the NBA.

He opened eyes by shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range as a reserve for a playoff team.

He was coming off a season where he averaged career highs in minutes, points, rebounds, shooting percentage and steals per game.

The winner of the 2017 NBA slam dunk competition, Robinson represented an intriguing mixture of shooting and athleticism in a young prospect.

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He was slated to back up Bojan Bogdanovich at small forward, but was a starting spot in his future?

The Pacers never found out.

During practice, Robinson was driving to the basket when he landed awkwardly on left leg.

Diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, Robinson missed 58 games.

But with star Paul George traded to Oklahoma City, the Pacers surprised.

Behind Victor Oladipo (the prize from the George trade), the Pacers rolled into the playoffs and extended the Cleveland Cavaliers to a Game 7 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

No longer part of the Pacers’ long-term planning, Robinson agreed to join the Detroit Pistons on the first day of free agency.

Will Robinson establish himself with the Pistons? Will he become a starter?

Robinson, 24, thinks all things are possible.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to go and try to get a starting spot,” Robinson told reporters after a Pistons’ summer-league game.

“Go and try to get those opportunities, those minutes that I’m ready for. I won’t disappoint and I’m just happy to be here.”

Hard knocks

The injury was yet another tough break for Robinson.

He fell to the second round of the 2014 NBA draft, selected 40th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He was projected as a fringe first-round prospect.

He needed to improve his shooting and ballhandling, but the athletic gifts of the 6-foot-7, 215-pounder were apparent.

Signing with the Pistons reunites Robinson with Sidney Lowe, who will be the lead assistant under new coach Dwane Casey.

Lowe, who was an assistant under former Pistons coach Flip Saunders in Minnesota, had a front row seat to Robinson’s determination.

“His work ethic is great,” Lowe said recently. “I saw that as a rookie, I saw that as young man. Staying in the gym, playing one-on-one. He loves being in the gym. I think where he is now is a product of him working on it.”

But he was waived late in his second season with the Timberwolves and was claimed by the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 76ers didn’t extend a qualifying offer following the season and he signed a three-year deal with the Pacers.

He sat behind Paul George for two seasons and Robinson said it was an opportune time for development.

And he excelled during the 2016-17 season.

He scored 6.1 points per game and shot 39.2 percent from 3-point range.

Confidence was high, but disaster struck on the fourth day of camp last September.

“It was a freak accident so I never expected it,” Robinson said. “When it happened, (the Pacers) didn’t know what happened. Luckily, I only tore two ligaments in my ankle.

“I spent 56 games getting it right and making sure I was completely healthy before I stepped back out.”

A tough break for Robinson.

“We had plans for him to be in the rotation,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said last week. “He started off with what we thought was going to be a real good training camp. He had worked out all summer long and then he gets that injury and that was just an unfortunate situation for him because we really had plans for him to be in the rotation.

“He definitely has a lot of potential at that wing position. He’s still young and he’s a talent.”

Pistons pounce

Robinson may no longer fit with the Pacers, but he fills a need with the Pistons.

The franchise is still hopeful that fourth-year small forward Stanley Johnson can emerge.

But he’s a career 30 percent 3-point shooter; Robinson is a career 38.1 percent shooter.

With Blake Griffin, Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond as offensive focal points, the door could be opened for the better 3-point shooter to provide spacing — although Johnson is still the superior defender.

More: Job 1 for new Pistons coach Dwane Casey? Develop young talent

Coaches always put a premium on defense and the coaching staff is encouraged that Johnson is putting in the work necessary to improve as a shooter.

At worst, the Pistons get someone to push Johnson.

The Pistons weren’t expecting to fill the need so quickly, but a call from Casey at the start of free agency got the ball moving.

He signed a two-year, $8.3-million deal with a team option for the second season.

“We didn’t think we’d get Glenn that quickly,” senior adviser Ed Stefanski said. “Getting the two-year commitment was huge to us. Finding a young wing who can make a shot, they’re hard to find in the league and when the opportunity came up that quickly, we felt we had to make a move.”

Robinson said Michigan fans have been clamoring for a return to the state since he entered the NBA.

He was glad to make it happen.

“I don’t really follow it much on Twitter, but all my Michigan fans were hitting me up,” Robinson said. “ 'Detroit’s got to recruit Glenn this year,' so that’s when it became real.

“I talked to Coach Casey immediately and he kind of explained a little of my role, what it would be. Coming here, what it would mean to him. I’m more than excited to be here.”

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