When you shake hands with Devin Robinson (Virginia, United States, 1995), your nails draw attention. On them you can read: 'Copa 2024'. So it is not difficult to imagine the excitement that Baxi Manresa's highest-rated player has before the Malaga event. An illusion that turns into sympathy and closeness when approaching this interview, even when he has to remember the most complicated moments of his sports career.
Manresa is having a very good season.
Yes, much better than the previous one, which is always good. We still have many things to improve and show to our people but I think we are playing quite well.
What do you expect from the match against Barça in Malaga?
Let us compete. We have already played against them twice this season, so we know them well, so I expect us to compete and fight until the end.
The Copa del Rey is a very special tournament in Spain.
It is a great platform and the best place to demonstrate your talent. I think the energy there is always crazy. You have to be prepared.
What is Pedro Martínez like as a coach?
Pay close attention to the small details so you can achieve great things. These are things that I had never noticed in my career until I arrived in Manresa. He likes that we control the area, that we run and that we put a lot of energy into it. He is a great coach, I really like his method.
Did you know him?
No, but they had told me about him. A classmate told me he was a tough guy but I thought I could handle him.
And could he handle it?
The first day he was very on top of me and it almost scared me. But as soon as you peel back the layers and start getting to know him, you realize how easy he is to work with.
You have experienced many different stages in your career: Taiwan, Puerto Rico... What memories do you have?
They have all been different. In Taiwan, for example, basketball is played more focused on entertainment, which flows easily. On the other hand, in Puerto Rico you play a lot more physically, you talk more, it's harder. That prepared me to play in Europe because before that I had never played here. The Spanish league, for example, is very demanding and I love competing and I adore the passion that I detect here. Every game is important.
Has it surprised you?
The truth is that it is more than I expected. The energy of the stands and the way they play on the court, passing the ball without stopping, is something I had not experienced.
What do you remember from your 8 games in the NBA?
Basically, not knowing what to expect. I just jumped on the hardwood and played to earn a place on the squad. It was a tough time because I was halfway between the D-League and the NBA. But I learned to be professional on and off the court. It was a stage in which I learned many things.
Have you closed that door?
It's always open somewhere in my mind. But now I am focused on improving every day in Manresa. We'll see.
In Washington you had a nighttime incident in a bar that marked your NBA career. What did you learn from that?
Well, I learned many things about myself. I learned to keep my head in the right place. It was a time when I was always angry because I didn't have minutes. I wanted to play in the NBA but I was very immature, and all that made me realize that things can be taken away from you all at once and you can end up in a very deep hole. So from there I changed to try to be the person I really wanted to be.
How did he get it?
Looking inward, accepting who I was and changing the negative. In those days I listened to everything they told me, whether I had to do this or that. I let others tell me what to do. So I decided to isolate myself from the noise and focus on what I had to do and let the rest take care of themselves.
