The Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards were announced on Sunday, and before I go into any award winners, one issue must be addressed. The name of the awards are an absolute mouthful; no one can say "Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards" without stopping to take a breath in the middle of that novel. That's besides the point, but I think it deserves addressing.
Jaxson Robinson had a breakout year with the Cougars in their first year as Big 12 members, and some of that success has been credited to his new role as a spark off the bench. After being a lock for the starting 5 last season, many would consider a move to the bench to be a demotion. Jaxson Robinson has clearly used it as a launch pad for the best year of his career, almost like a sprinter staying behind to give his competition a head start--a glimmer of hope--before flying past them.
The best sixth man in college basketball resides in Provo.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 14, 2023
His name is Jaxon Robinson. https://t.co/TdrtK85dnd
In his Sixth Man of the Year season, Robinson has shown flashes of incredible potential and was the frontrunner for the award throughout the entire season. His rise has even included some NBA draft buzz. With his size, length, shooting, and athletic ability, Robinson has all the physical tools that NBA teams are looking for in the 3-and-D wings that modern NBA basketball covets. Offensively, Robinson is more than capable of reaching these expectations. BYU's sweet-shooting swingman has a velvet-smooth release and hits 3-pointers at an above-average clip. While not eye-popping numbers, Robinson's 14 points per game leads all BYU scorers.
Robinson still has some areas to improve on, such as his on-ball defense and shot selection. He doesn't always make the right decisions when given free reign of the offense, but is still able to hit the right shot in the right moment, as he's done in several games this season.
Jaxson Robinson at every timeout: pic.twitter.com/hLjnzhITSN
— Micah (@El_Mas_Micah) February 21, 2024
Robinson has received plenty of praise from fans across the country, and it's not hard to see why. In a season where BYU has exceeded all expectations, Jaxson Robinson is a bright spot on a roster that did not have any All-Big 12 team members. Four Cougars received All-Big 12 honorable mentions, namely Fousseyni Traore, Dallin Hall, Jaxson Robinson (of course), and Spencer Johnson. "Honorable mention" won't stand out on their resumes, but at least they received some recognition for their great season.
Robinson was honored on senior night despite still having one year of eligibility remaining if he were to return for another season. Unfortunately for BYU, it looks like he'll be taking his shot at pro hoops, and I can't blame him. If he produces another season like this one, his draft stock could drop, and it's not especially high at this point in the season. After years of nothing, he finally opened a window into a chance at pro hoops, and I can't fault him for taking it.
We still have plenty of basketball let to play this season, so let's see what the Sixth Man of the Year can do in the Big 12 conference tournament!