Miami High basketball star perseveres through adversity to become Division-I prospect

Miami High basketball star Romari Robinson has spent countless nights sleeping on the floor of various relatives’ and friends’ apartments.

For virtually his entire life, Robinson, 18, has moved from place to place with his younger brother, Rashar Robinson, 15; and their father, Robert Robinson, 62.

Next fall, Romari Robinson will finally get his own space.

That’s because Robinson, who is 6-foot-4 and weighs 190 pounds, has athletic-scholarship offers that will provide him with free college – and, just as importantly – a dorm room to finally call his own.

“It will be a relief to get my own room and some privacy,” said Robinson, a senior. “Even now, I live with my (father’s godmother), and I share a room with my brother.”

Robinson has offers from FIU coach Jeremy Ballard; Florida Gulf Coast’s Pat Chambers; and Massachusetts coach Frank Martin.

Choosing FIU would give Robinson the chance to play in his hometown. FGCU is away from home but still just a two-hour car trip. And UMass offers the chance to play for Martin and associate coach Allen Edwards – both of whom are Miami High graduates.

Robinson said he likes all three schools because they play fast on offense.

If Robinson picks UMass, he would be the first Miami High recruit ever signed by Martin at one of three head-coaching stops: Kansas State, South Carolina and UMass.

Asked about the possibility of playing for Martin – who is known to coach players in a hard and direct manner – Robinson said it would be interesting.

“I wonder how it would go down,” Robinson said, “being the first guy from Miami High.”

How would Robinson handle the hard-charging Martin?

“That’s a good question,” said Robinson, who attended a basketball camp at UMass this past summer. “I know how to take criticism.

“At the end of the day, it’s all love. He just wants to win, and I can accept that.”

Robinson’s rise as a basketball prospect is shocking when you consider that he had never played the sport in an organized fashion until the eighth grade.

Prior to that, he was a wide receiver in football, playing for the Miami Garden Ravens.

However, he quit football after the seventh grade because he had some “big guys” ahead of him at wide receiver – namely five-star Ohio State freshman Jeremiah Smith and five-star Miami freshman JoJo Trader.

“I didn’t see the opportunities,” Robinson said.

That’s ironic because Robinson grew up within walking distance of Hard Rock Stadium, where the Hurricanes and Dolphins play football.

Instead, basketball became his obsession, and even though his father is 6-foot-6 and played basketball at Miami Edison High, this was Romari’s first time playing the sport on an actual team.

However, Romari had to stop playing basketball for six months in 2020 due to the pandemic.

When he arrived at Miami High as a 6-foot-2 freshman, Robinson skipped JV ball and was placed on the varsity by Stingarees coach Humberto Govea.

“Romari was very raw, but sometimes that’s OK because he didn’t have bad habits,” Govea said. “He wasn’t a ‘know it all’ like some kids.”

Govea said he put Robinson on varsity so he could soak up basketball knowledge and terminology.

“Romari is super intelligent,” Govea said of Robinson, who has a 2.9 grade-point average despite not owning a computer and having to borrow one from his coach or a teammate to finish his homework.

“He will listen and observe, and if you watch him play defense, he’s lightning quick with great length.”

Robinson averaged 9.0 points as a freshman and 13.0 points as a sophomore.

Last season, he had a breakout campaign, averaging 16.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 4.1 steals. He also made The Miami Herald’s All-Dade first team for the first time in his career as the Stingarees produced a 23-9 record. That was the most wins by Miami High in 20 years.

In the playoffs, the Stings got routed by eventual state champion Columbus in the regional finals, but that takes nothing away from the great season by Robinson.

His success as a high school basketball player is even more impressive given that his father -- a retired truck driver -- has struggled to provide financially for his family.

Robert Robinson, who split with the mother of Romari and Rashar years ago, has had full custody of the boys since they were six and four years old, respectively.

In those 12 years, they have lived in at least six different addresses, but Robert is proud to have stayed with his sons.

“I told Romari that we can be sitting on the curb eating roaches,” Robert said, “as long as we’re together.”

Romari Robinson suffered even more hardship on April 6, 2022, when his mother, Monique Laughlin, died at the age of 41.

“I was taking a test when my (maternal) aunts came to pick me up at school,” Robinson said. “Usually when that happened, they would take me to see my mom, and we would go shopping.

“But, on this day, it was dead silent.”

Robinson would soon find out that his mother had passed away.

“I had to keep my head up,” Robinson said when asked how he handled his mother’s death. “I knew it was storming right then, but the future will be better.”

Robinson said his teammates have helped him cope, especially a core of fellow seniors that have all been at Miami High for at least three years.

That group includes 6-0 guard Joseph Murillo, 6-1 guard Abasalon Cortez; 6-5 wings Eric Garcia and Joseph Jean; and 6-7 forward Aaron Richard.

All of those seniors are in the rotation, and they also formed a terrific support system for Robinson.

“When my mom died, they gave me space,” Robinson said of his teammates. “But then they said, ‘Let’s go hoop,’ and they also took me out to eat.

“A lot of teams have different groups. But, at Miami High, we’re all together.”

While his teammates have demonstrated support, Robinson has likewise been loyal to Miami High – even when private schools have tried to recruit him away from the Stings.

You can bet that the coaches at FIU, UMass and FGCU have noticed Robinson’s loyalty – especially with how difficult the transfer portal has made it for college teams to build continuity.

“All the college coaches have mentioned it,” Robinson said of his loyalty. “My dad taught me that if you are going to start something don’t quit, especially if you are being given a big opportunity.”

Govea, who said his team went 31-3 this past summer while traveling to camps all over Florida, marvels at how far Robinson has come in such a short time.

“When he first got here, he couldn’t shoot the ball,” Govea said. “He was shooting from his chest like a little kid.

“Now, he’s probably the best kid I’ve coached in 20 years in the game.”

Meanwhile, Robert Robinson said he doesn’t mind if his son plays college ball close to home or in Massachusetts.

“It’s not about me,” Robert Robinson said. “It’s about whatever makes Romari comfortable and happy.

“I’m so proud of that kid. Everything he’s gone through has just made him work harder.”