D1 Nation-Houston Contributing Editor: A. W. Robinson

I have been blessed and priveleged to become part of the D1 Nation. It seems like only yesterday (spring of 2005) when I placed a call to Max Ivany about three Houston players I was training that did not have an AAU home. Those players were Junior Treausure (Texas Southern), Jason Ebie (TCU) & Darrington Hobson (New Mexico & Milwaukee Bucks). We instantly became friends and these guys went on to suit up with the Texas D1 Ambassadors, playing in the Rumble in the Bronx, Five Star Camp Virginia, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, etc.- A.W. Robinson

AW Robinson

Robinson began working with his younger brother Gary Buchanan who went on to play at Villanova. He realized he had a gift with assisting player development when Buchanan went on to make 76 three pointers as a freshman (40%) while shooting 93% from the charity stripe. As a soph, he set an NCAA record by hitting 73 straight FT's earning the label of the best FT shooter in Big East history.

Much of this success is attribute to AW's workout regimen through his company, Gym Range where he trains young players with a regimen of drills he has developed where he concentrates on shots MADE in game situations as opposed to shots TAKEN.

Former Villanova star Gary Buchanan (AW's younger brother)

In the past 7 years, Robinson has had a hand in training many highly successful Houston area players including: Gary Buchanan (Villanova), Champ Oguchi (Oregon), Fendi Onobun (Arizona), Henry Dugat (Baylor), Sean Coleman (Tulsa), Obi Ikeafor (Saint Louis), Junior Elonu (Texas A&M), Brandon Johnson (San Diego), Jason Ebie (TCU), Leslie Jackson (UT-San Antonio), BJ Holmes (Texas A&M), Darrington Hobson (New Mexico), Robert Jarvis (Oral Roberts), Gordon Watt (Houston Baptist) & Trent Rogers (Tulane).


Robinson has assisted Oklahoma State at Coach Travis Ford's now defunct elite camp, coaching such players as John Wall, Daniel Orton & LeBryan Nash to name a few. He has assisted various AAU programs with their player development such as Texas Select, Houston Suns Elite, Dallas Mustangs & of course our own Texas D1 Ambassadors. We're certainly thankful to have him home as part of the D1 Nation Team.


Here at the D1 Nation our pledge is not only to cover the guys who have made it and currently hold the "keys to the city" but also to look for and provide exposure to the younger players looking to have an opportunity to move on up the ladder and meet their hoop dreams. Robinson's specialty will be doing Q&A type interviews with young ballers and the establishment of our "Diamonds in the Rough" features.


You can contact A.W. Robinson direct at gymrange@yahoo.com or at 832-885-5292