Thomas Robinson pens heartfelt note to Kansas fans following TBT exit

Although the end result wasn’t what he and team Mass Street had hoped for, Kansas basketball great Thomas Robinson still found this year’s The Basketball Tournament (TBT) to be a rewarding experience.

The Kansas alumni squad was knocked out of the third round last week by the more experienced team Heartfire, but not before winning a pair of exciting first and second round games – in large part thanks to Robinson.

In the opening round matchup against We are D3, Robinson led the team in scoring with 21 points and won the game for Mass Street after an impressive put-back following a missed free throw by Mario Little.

In the second-round game against the Missouri alumni team Show Me Squad, Robinson once again led all scorers for Mass Street with 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. He also won the game again for the group of Jayhawks thanks to a clutch, made free throw late in the game.

Throughout the tournament, Kansas fans showed up big in Wichita. That passionate support is one of the reasons why Robinson decided to play in the tournament to begin with, and it brought back a lot of memories from his playing days in Lawrence.

Robinson had a lot of success when he played at KU, becoming an All-American, winning Big 12 Player of the Year, and reaching the 2012 National Championship.

But he also went through a lot of heartbreak.

Robinson lost two grandparents and his mother in the span of a month back in January 2011. That’s something no one should have to experience, much less a kid in college who’s still figuring his life out.

That’s when the phrase “Family Over Everything” originated in KU basketball circles and on social media. The team, staff, and Kansas fans everywhere rallied behind Robinson when he needed it most, and it’s something he’s never forgotten.

In his recent Instagram post, Robinson showed a lot of love to the Kansas faithful for their unwavering support.

"“When I say nothings changed , nothing CHANGED. The love will forever be there and Kansas fans, univ etc. I truly will go to the grave knowing that this place loves me like no other in the world. You guys sheltered me when I needed sheltering and even after leaving going on my own journey as a pro and man the past 12 years I come back and you treat me no different.”"

Moments like this make the saying “Once a Jayhawk, always a Jayhawk” even more true. Kansas fans should be proud to be part of a fanbase whose loyalty and support for their players knows no bounds.