For Glenn Robinson III of the Philadelphia 76ers, what makes it more difficult is living without his two-year-old daughter, Ariana, who is home and thinks bubbles are just something to chase, not a quarantine zone.
“It was a very difficult decision for me to leave her, knowing that I would be gone for three or four months. So that weighed heavily on me but, in the end, she is the reason I do everything.”
Robinson III uses his platform to raise awareness through his aptly named ARI Foundation. Son of a former No. 1 overall NBA selection chart of the same name, Robinson III began his foundation to allow other fathers to create an enduring legacy for their children.
“I wanted to create something. I am a natural donor. I know my purpose is to help the masses and that is why I am a professional athlete and basketball player,” said Robinson III.
“It’s to help others in a way that they may not have had this chance and leave a legacy for my daughter where she will grasp this foundation and be able to take off whenever she wants.”
Lessons for a lifetime
During the season, Robinson III used his foundation to return money to a variety of organizations in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, a city that has long had one of the highest murder rates in America.
Growing up in Gary, Robinson III learned that the color of his skin could have a direct impact on how he was treated by others.
“It’s the problem that will never go away. It’s the problem where my mother taught me to keep my hands on the wheel when you get stopped,” he said.
“It has been passed down from generation to generation by every black family I know. So, I will naturally have to teach my daughter those things.”
Robinson III and his teammates are using their platforms to enact change, so that maybe one day his daughter won’t have to teach her kids the same lessons.
During the opening games of the NBA shooting, the players, coaches and staff chose to kneel during the national anthem to help bring attention to social injustice, a move that resulted in the President of the United States United Donald Trump announced that he would “turn off the game.”
In an interview with Fox last week, Trump said it was “not acceptable” for athletes to kneel, repeating his claim that no one, other than perhaps Abraham Lincoln, had done more to help the black community.
Robinson III agreed with James. “I don’t think we will [miss him]. I’m not losing sleep over it, “he said.
“I definitely think that the black community, the basketball community, everyone who watches us on TV and supports us … we’re not mad about losing that audience. I totally agree with him. [LeBron]”.
When asked if he thought the NBA was doing enough to defend social issues, Robinson III said the league was, but added that more could always be done.
“For me, it’s about actions. It’s not about words. It’s not about a post. It’s about actions. What are you doing at the end of the day to do your bit on these issues?” churches.
“I feel that our leadership, our association of players and the way we understand our role in the sport as players is so important that we know we are not just one piece. And that ties into everything we are talking about, of social injustice, about everything that is happening in the world right now; we are not just basketball players at the end of the day.
“We are a focal point of how they generate revenue, and by understanding that and improving our situation for those who will come after us, this is what I have been taught by my veterans. And I think that’s what LeBron, this is what Chris Paul, they are working out this situation. ”
Robinson III added: “We will never again have an opportunity like this to show how strongly we feel about certain situations and I think we shouldn’t back down now.”
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