Oliver Robinson facts for kids

Oliver Leon Robinson Jr. (born March 13, 1960) is a retired American basketball player. He played as a shooting guard for the NBA team, the San Antonio Spurs. After his basketball career, he became a politician. He served as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1998 to 2016. He represented District 58, which includes parts of Birmingham.

Early Life and Education

Oliver Robinson graduated from Woodlawn High School in Birmingham in 1978. He then went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). After playing professional basketball for a short time, he returned to UAB. In 1987, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Affairs. He also studied political science, business, and sociology.

After college, he worked at AmSouth Bank. He was a vice president and managed the Office of Community Affairs. In 1999, he co-founded ABI Capital Management. This company helped people with investments. He started it with Willie Huff. Oliver and his wife, Sakina, also started Robinson & Robinson Communications. They published a magazine called Community Reinvestor.

Basketball Career Highlights

Oliver Robinson was a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Birmingham, Alabama. He played college basketball at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He was the very first player to receive a scholarship from the school.

College Achievements

At UAB, Robinson was a top player. He was chosen twice for the first-team All-Sun Belt Conference. In 1982, he was named the Sun Belt Player of the Year. During his final year, he led the Blazers to a great season. They won 25 games and lost only 6. They even beat the top-ranked Virginia team in the NCAA tournament. This helped them reach the Mideast Regional Final. Robinson was named the Regional MVP. Later, UAB honored him by retiring his jersey number.

Professional Play

After college, the San Antonio Spurs picked Robinson in the 1982 NBA draft. He was the 24th pick overall in the second round. He played in 35 games for the Spurs during the 1982–83 NBA season. He averaged about 2.9 points per game.

In 2008, Oliver Robinson was honored for his sports achievements. He was elected into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Political Career

Oliver Robinson served in the Alabama House of Representatives. This is a part of the state government that makes laws for Alabama. He represented the 58th District from 1998 to 2016. This district covers parts of Jefferson County, including Birmingham.

Roles in Government

During his time in the House, Robinson held important positions. He was the vice-chairman of the Jefferson County Legislative Delegation. He also served on several committees. These included:

• Banking and Insurance
• House Education Policy
• Financial Services
• Military and Veterans Affairs
• Rules

He also chaired the House Government Operations Committee.

Resignation from Office

On November 30, 2016, Oliver Robinson announced he was leaving his seat. He explained that he wanted his daughter, Amanda Robinson, to keep her job. She was a liaison between the Alabama legislature and the Governor's office. He wanted to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. He noted that his daughter was the first African American and the first female to hold that position in Alabama history. He said he was retiring to give his child "every opportunity to succeed." He also planned to focus on helping children in areas where he used to live.

Six months later, in June 2017, Robinson announced he was leaving politics permanently.

See also

In Spanish: Oliver Robinson para niños