Clifford Robinson, a former NBA All-Star and the 1993 Sixth Man of the Year, has died at the age of 53, the UConn Huskies confirmed Saturday on Twitter.
Cliff Robinson, an NBA All-Star who played 18 seasons in the league, has died. He was 53.
Robinson’s family said Saturday he died, WGRZ reported.
Robinson, known for his trademark headband, spent 18 seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets. He made the 1994 NBA All-Star Game and was named to two NBA All-Defensive second teams while averaging 14.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 1,380 career games -- the 13th-most in NBA history.
Robinson also won an NIT title at UConn, which retired his No. 00 in 2007.
"He was our first great player," former UConn coach Jim Calhoun told Hearst Media. "He came from a difficult background in Buffalo, I watched him evolve as a man. ... He was a good man, had a great career, and was instrumental in a lot of the great things that happened at UConn."
The cause of death was not immediately known. In 2017, he was hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage.
Robinson was drafted in 1989 by the Portland Trailblazers, where he played for eight seasons and NBA Finals teams. He also played for the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets. He won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 1993 and was an All-Star in 1994.
