As a college basketball star and NBA executive,
Craig Robinson has shown that he's a lot more than just Michelle Obama's big brother. Because
even when he's off-the-court, the Princeton grad has proven to be one of a kind.
Former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, has never been shy about her affection
for her immediate and extended family. She once declared in an interview with Access:
"There's nothing more important than family."
And it's safe to say that sentiment extends to Obama's big brother, Craig Robinson,
too. Way back in 2007, the future First Lady gushed to an audience:
"I've got an older brother, my big brother, who I love dearly,
who is now a basketball coach at Brown University."
Furthermore, in her 2018 memoir, "Becoming," Michelle included details about the close
bond she shared with Craig. She wrote in the book:
"You have been my protector since the day I was born. You have made me laugh more than
any other person on this earth. You are the best brother a sister could ask for,
a loving and caring son, husband, and father."
"I have been Craig Robinson's little sister for most of my life."
And when it came time to meet his little sister's boyfriend, Barack Obama,
Craig Robinson had his protective brotherly antennas up then too. Fortunately for Barack,
he passed the smell test. Robinson later revealed
on an August 2020 episode of the "Michelle Obama Podcast" that it was the way Barack
played pickup basketball that really made a good impression. He explained on the podcast:
"When you play pickup basketball, a lot is based
on integrity. Because you have to call your own fouls, there are no referees."
He went on to added:
"And there's always that guy who acts like he's a good dude until he has to make his own calls,
and he's callin' fouls all the time. Well, Barack wasn't that guy, and that was good to see."
Michelle Obama is well known for being a Princeton University alumni. But make no mistake about
it — her big brother Craig Robinson was the first Robinson to attend the esteemed school. Still,
the road to Princeton wasn't exactly an easy one for him. During an interview on "In Depth
with Graham Bensinger," Robinson revealed that he was recruited for basketball by the
University of Washington, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Princeton University.
However, the offer from Princeton wasn't a full ride. In short: He and Michelle's
parents would have to dig deep into their own pockets to come up with the rest of the tuition
money. And while Robinson initially planned to go to the University of Washington because
of the full-ride offer, his dad made it clear that he would be very disappointed if Robinson
didn't go to Princeton. He recalled on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger":
"And that's how I ended up going to Princeton. Changed my life."
Craig Robinson racked up a staggering 1,441 points during his time playing basketball
at Princeton. He also earned the Ivy League Player of the Year two years in a row. Still,
he is adamant that it was his time off the court and in the classrooms at the
prestigious university that really made a lasting impression on his life. He told Ivy:
"Attending Princeton gave me the academic and intellectual capabilities to excel in
my career. The fact that I participated in extremely challenging courses with
extremely talented classmates gave me the confidence to know that I could compete in
the working world with anyone doing anything." Upon graduating from Princeton University, Craig
Robinson opted to play basketball professionally. While the Philadelphia 76ers initially drafted
him, he ended up playing across the pond with the Manchester Giants for two seasons. Eventually,
however, he made his way back to the United States, convinced he was ready to become a coach.
However, his former college coach, Pete Carril, discouraged him. While
speaking to The Daily Princetonian, Robinson recalled that Carril told him:
"You don't want to be a bleeping coach. Here you are a kid from the South Side of Chicago with a
Princeton degree. You should get a job on Wall Street somewhere — leave this basketball alone."
So Robinson took his coach's advice and went on to further his education. He earned a master's
degree in business administration from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business,
eventually accepting a Vice President position with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. However,
it appears his heart was never really in it. During an interview with Inc., he confessed:
"I was coaching part-time in youth leagues and high schools. My business success,
albeit good — in fact, maybe even grand by some measures — wasn't
bringing me the kind of pleasure and joy that I felt when I was coaching."
That's when Robinson decided to take the bull by the horns and
return to his roots — basketball. Following his stint in the banking and
business world, Craig Robinson carved out a successful career for himself in the world of
basketball. He not only worked as a coach at Northwestern University, Oregon State,
and Brown University, but he eventually scored a highly coveted analyst position with ESPN.
He even served as a basketball executive with the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks.
It was in July 2020, however, that Robinson took yet another leap of faith. That's when
he left his job with the New York Knicks for an executive director position with the National
Association of Basketball Coaches. Robinson said in a press release for the organization:
"I'm extremely honored and excited for this tremendous and vital opportunity."
"So I'm really excited about the future."
Meanwhile, former NABC President Jamie Dixon also relished their
recruitment of Robinson. He gushed in the press release:
"Craig encompasses everything we were looking for and more in the next leader of the NABC."
He then added:
"Craig's experiences as a decorated student-athlete,
an accomplished coach and a high-level administrator uniquely position him to
lead our association during this crucial moment in time for basketball. Given his background,
education and values, we have exceeded expectations from when we started the search."