In this installment of Getting To Know,
BIGEAST.com chats up Villanova freshman phenom Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. He fills us in on why he chose to come east instead of attending his mom and dad’s alma mater, about the time his dad, Lester, got the best of Kobe Bryant, how he feels he’s faring in his first season on the Main Line campus and how much he’s looking forward to the BIG EAST Tournament next month.
BIGEAST.com: You grew up in Kansas, were named the 2018 Gatorade Kansas State Player of the Year and your mom, Katie, and dad, Lester, were both Jayhawks. So how is it that Villanova managed to steal you away from Kansas?
ROBINSON-EARL: “I just really liked the coaching staff and the commitment they have from their players. A lot of programs have one lead recruiter for some players but I felt like Villanova was really all in with my recruitment. So I really appreciated that. And just the team environment and the standard they have set for their team, I really liked that.”
BIGEAST.com: How did your parents handle your decision to choose Villanova over the Jayhawks?
ROBINSON-EARL: My family was down with whatever I decided. They were just happy for me. Nobody ever really pushed me to go anywhere. My dad was happy for me and my mom was just happy for my situation.“
BIGEAST.com: So your dad, Lester, once beat Kobe Bryant in a dunk contest when they were high school seniors? How often does he brag about that?
ROBINSON-EARL: (laughs). No, he doesn’t brag about it, but I remember the stories he had when he was competing against Kobe. It’s kind of cool to have somebody in your life that’s experienced things that you want to do and just have a lot of cool stories (about playing) against players who are Hall of Famers or great pros.”
BIGEAST.com: So when Villanova beat Kansas back in December, did you call your dad to gloat just a little bit?
ROBINSON-EARL: No. He’s never been the kind of guy to push Kansas and all of that. So he was just happy for me because it was another win for us.”
BIGEAST.com: So you were a big Kobe fan. What did you like about him?
ROBINSON-EARL: I’d say the main thing was his “Mamba Mentality.” We don’t play the same position but I feel the mindset is universal. Just the way he approached the game and even off the court, the way he took care of his body and his business mindset and how he attacked every day was what I really appreciated about him.”
BIGEAST.com: Is that why you wear No. 24?
ROBINSON-EARL: I’ve always been No. 10 but whenever there were situations I couldn’t get 10, I always loved 24 because of him. (Sophomore Cole Swider currently wears No. 10 at Villanova.)
BIGEAST.com: You remember when you heard of Kobe’s passing?
ROBINSON-EARL: “It was a group text that I got that said Kobe had passed away in a helicopter crash. I couldn’t believe it. It actually took me a long time to realize that it was real news and not just a rumor. That was probably one of the hardest days I’ve had because I’ve never had a family member pass away or anyone really close to me and that was somebody that I idolized for a very long time. That was a really tough experience for me.”
BIGEAST.com: Turning to your first season, in your very first game against Army you bust out for 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead Villanova in both categories that night. Do you remember any nerves or butterflies going into that game?
ROBINSON-EARL: I honestly can’t remember, but if there were butterflies it was just excitement to play in my first college basketball game. I just feel like this place is so great because we set each other up for success. So it’s not like one player is the go-to guy. We just have a lot of weapons we can use.”
BIGEAST.com: You’re averaging almost a double-double this season, with 11.0 points a game and 9.5 rebounds. Did you have certain goals coming into the year and how do you think your first year is going so far?
ROBINSON-EARL: “I feel like it’s been going really well. The main goal I have is to win the National Championship for our team just so we can do that together. But I never had any individual goals like I want to be this or be that. Just the main goal of winning a National Championship.
BIGEAST.com: This week you were named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week for the sixth time. Carmelo Anthony owns the record with 10 selections and Allen Iverson won it nine times. Is it kind of cool to be in that company?
ROBINSON-EARL: I don’t want to say I go out there every night thinking ‘I need to get this Freshman of the Week.’ It’s just the way we play. It just sets everybody up for success, just going out there and doing what we do best. It just puts me in a situation where if it happens, it happens.”
BIGEAST.com: You have six games remaining in the regular season beginning with a trip to DePaul Wednesday night. You trail first-place Seton Hall by a game and a half in the standings. Villanova has won five of the last six regular-season titles. How much is making that six-out-of-seven on your radar?
ROBINSON-EARL: “We just approach each game the same. We’re not like, ‘Oh, we have to win this game.’ Our goal is to just get better every day. Just be the best Villanova basketball team we possibly can be.”
BIGEAST.com: You got a taste of playing at Madison Square Garden last month when you beat St. John’s. Did you enjoy that first experience?
ROBINSON-EARL: “Oh, for sure. It was a really neat experience with the history of the Garden. It was just really cool to play at the Garden.”
BIG EAST.com: It’s still three weeks away, but how much are you looking forward to your first BIG EAST Tournament experience?
ROBINSON-EARL: “That should be a lot of fun. I’ve heard a lot of stories from the team and the experiences they’ve been through. It just sounds like a lot of fun. Just going out there and playing with my brothers and our coaches and having a lot of fun out there.”