Flynn Robinson obit

Lakers mourn the death of Flynn Robinson

 

He was not on the list.

 

Flynn Robinson passed away on Thursday at age 72 after a battle with cancer (multiple myeloma).

Robinson was a 6-foot-1 guard who played just one, special season with the Lakers.

“We are very sad to hear of the passing of Flynn Robinson,” Lakers executive Jeanie Buss said. “Flynn played an important role on the 1971-72 Lakers team that brought Los Angeles its first NBA championship and won what is still an NBA-record 33 consecutive games.

“Lakers fans might remember him as ‘Mr. Instant Point,’ a nickname given to him by the great Chick Hearn, a nickname that was well-earned as Flynn led the reserves in scoring that season, averaging 10 points in 16 minutes off the bench,” continued Buss. “He was a proud part of our Lakers heritage, participating in numerous reunions and special events over the years, and he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time.”

Robinson was named an All-Star in 1970 with the Milwaukee Bucks. He averaged 14 points and three assists a game over seven NBA seasons.

Asked by The Times in 2008 if the 72-10 Chicago Bulls of 1995-96 could defeat the 1971-72 Lakers, Robinson answered, “I don’t think none of them could’ve beaten us.... I mean, we had a monster team.”

Flynn was born April 28, 1941, from the union of Sam Hopkins and Dorothy Mae Robinson. Later Flynn's mother married Johnnie Hodge, Sr., Flynn's step-father. A native of Murphysboro, Illinois, Robinson later moved to Kinloch, Missouri (St. Louis area), where he attended Dunbar Elementary School thru the 4th Grade as Flynn Hodge. Afterwards Flynn lived in Elgin, Illinois (Chicago area) and graduated in 1959 from Elgin High School.

Robinson attended Southern Illinois University in September 1959 for one semester and was on the basketball team. Later he transferred to and attended Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, before transferring to the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming. A 6'1" guard at Wyoming, Robinson was a three-time first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honoree. He averaged 26.2 points per game as a sophomore, 25.6 points as a junior and 27 points as a senior and was the 6th leading scorer in the nation. His 2,049 points place him third on Wyoming's all-time scoring list, and in 2005 he was named to the school's All-Century team.

Robinson played seven seasons (1966–1973) in the National Basketball Association and one season (1973–1974) in the later merged American Basketball Association. He averaged 14.5 points per game and 3.1 assists per game during his NBA/ABA career.

The 15th pick in the 1965 NBA draft, Robinson made his NBA debut with the Cincinnati Royals in 1966.

Later, Robinson played for the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks' play-by-play radio announcer, Eddie Doucette, called Flynn the "Electric Eye".

In the 1969–70 season with Milwaukee, Robinson averaged a career high 21.8 points per game and was selected to the 1970 NBA All-Star Game, the only All-Star game he would play in. He also led the NBA in free throw percentage that season.

Traded to Los Angeles in 1971 from the Cincinnati Royals, Robinson was a reserve guard behind Jerry West and Gail Goodrich for the Los Angeles Lakers team that won a league-record 33 consecutive games and later won an NBA championship with the team in 1972, playing on what has been considered one of the NBA's Top Ten Teams of all time. When he joined the Lakers, their radio broadcaster, Chick Hearn, called Flynn "Instant Points".

In 1992, Robinson returned to Los Angeles where he and his Laker teammates, including legends Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Jerry West, were honored at the 20th Year Celebration of the 1972 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.

In January 2005, Robinson was named to Wyoming's All-Century Team.

In 2012, while living in the Los Angeles area, Robinson again was honored with his surviving teammates at the 40th Year Celebration of the 1972 NBA Champion Lakers, who continue to hold the Historic 33-Games Win Streak, a long-standing pro sports record. The Lakers presented Flynn and each surviving team member with a huge expensive Diamond Cluster Ring.

In his 50s and 60s, Flynn played basketball at the Senior Olympics level.

Career history

1966–1967           Cincinnati Royals

1967–1968           Chicago Bulls

1968–1970           Milwaukee Bucks

1970–1971           Cincinnati Royals

1971–1972           Los Angeles Lakers

1972–1973           Baltimore Bullets

1973–1974           San Diego Conquistadors

1978       Indiana Wizards