SALEM, Va. – A Roanoke basketball legend returned home Monday night as Steve Robinson shared stories and lessons from his 42-year coaching career, emphasizing humility as the foundation of his success.
A graduate of William Fleming High School, a Ferrum College Hall of Famer and a Radford University alumnus, Robinson reflected on a journey that began on Salem Avenue and carried him across college basketball’s biggest stages.
“I was a kid that grew up on Salem Avenue and had the opportunity to play college basketball, then coach college basketball for 42 years,” Robinson said. “Along the way, I was fortunate enough to win three national championships. I’ve had some success at doing what I do.”
Throughout his career, Robinson was part of 31 NCAA Tournament appearances, eight Final Fours, and three national championships. He also played a role in securing 18 conference regular-season titles and eight conference tournament championships. Over 60 players he coached or recruited advanced to the NBA.
Before joining Arizona, Robinson served as an assistant coach at North Carolina under Roy Williams from 2003 to 2021, during which the Tar Heels won three national championships. He also had stints as head coach at Tulsa (1995–97) and Florida State (1997–2002), leading both programs to NCAA Tournament appearances.
Robinson’s coaching journey began at Radford University, his alma mater, and included assistant coaching roles at Cornell and Kansas. In 2019, he was inducted into the A STEP UP Assistant Coach Hall of Fame.