The Kentucky Wildcats faced a dire situation on the court as their backcourt depth was quickly diminishing. Lamont Butler, a key contributor, was sidelined in sweatpants due to an ankle injury, and his replacement, Kerr Kriisa, soon followed him off the floor with his own injury. Kentucky’s head coach, Mark Pope, was forced to think outside the box. He turned to Collin Chandler, gave Travis Perry a shot, but neither player could provide the solution. With no other options available, Pope was left with one unlikely hero—Jaxson Robinson.
Robinson, Kentucky’s highly anticipated offseason addition, had made waves during his time at BYU, where he earned recognition as the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year. Known for his explosive scoring ability and deadly three-point shooting, Robinson was far from being considered a traditional point guard. That was not his role, and Pope had learned this lesson the hard way during a game at Oklahoma the previous season.
Reflecting on that experience, Pope shared an unforgettable moment during his postgame comments after the Gonzaga victory. “There’s a game that I tease Jax about all the time,” Pope recalled. “Last year, we were playing at Oklahoma, and we were in a really good part of the season, but we just kind of laid an egg that night. Jax was having to play a lot of point guard for us at the time… After one bad play, he was in transition defense in the first half running right by me on the bench, and he turned and yelled in transition, ‘I’m never playing point guard again!’”
That game, in which Robinson’s frustration was evident, was a pivotal moment in both his development and Pope’s understanding of Robinson’s game. Fast forward to the present, and Robinson had turned a weakness into a strength. In the overtime win over Gonzaga, Robinson was thrust into the point guard role during a critical stretch. Despite the pressure, he delivered a performance that exceeded everyone’s expectations.
“I’m telling you, he’s special,” Pope continued. “A year later, he’s dishing out five assists, zero turnovers, playing the point for the last eight minutes of the game under massive duress and through the full overtime. That’s growth.”
Robinson’s growth as a player came not only from his offensive contributions but from his ability to adapt to the team’s needs. In this particular game, Kentucky’s point guard play was crucial to their success, and Robinson rose to the challenge. Though he had struggled to find his shooting rhythm earlier in the season, his resilience and ability to stay focused on other aspects of the game helped him shine when his team needed him most.
“My teammates and coaches give me confidence every day, regardless of whether my shots are falling or not,” Robinson shared after the win. “They know I can affect the game in many ways, not just by shooting. I just stay locked in on what I can do to help us win.”
Robinson’s moment came in the closing seconds of overtime, when he knocked down a crucial jumper with 14 seconds remaining, extending Kentucky’s lead to four points. This basket not only secured the win but capped off an impressive 18-point performance in which Robinson also played a key role defensively.
Pope was full of praise for his player after the game. “What Jax has done the last three or four games defensively is breathtaking, and his toughness is incredible. And hitting that insanely difficult shot in overtime? He was really special, man.”
Even with Robinson’s heroics, the job wasn’t finished. After the game, he went straight to the training room, focused not on his own performance, but on getting his injured teammates—Butler and Kriisa—back to full health. His leadership and team-first mentality are exactly what Kentucky needs as they push toward the rest of the season.
Pope expressed his gratitude for having Robinson on the team. “Until Lamont and Kerr are back, we’re really blessed to have Jaxson Robinson here,” he said. “He’s stepped up when we needed him most, and that’s what makes him a special player.”
In the end, Robinson’s performance against Gonzaga was a testament to his growth as a player and his ability to rise to the occasion when Kentucky needed him most. What started as a promise broken—Robinson’s resistance to the point guard role—turned into a heroic moment that could be a turning point for the Wildcats. With Robinson stepping up and showing the poise, skill, and leadership necessary to handle pressure, Kentucky’s title hopes look even more promising as the season progresses.