Eli Robinson found his love for basketball on an Air Force base in Japan. 

A military kid, Robinson first played basketball with schoolmates in Japan and has loved it ever since. It became a way for him to make friends through several relocations while his father, Col. Matt Robinson, served in the Air Force. 

“It always felt like basketball was the glue in each of our assignments,” Col. Robinson, a C-17 pilot, said. “He loves basketball. Watching it, playing it. … It’s a huge part of his identity and life.” 

Robinson is now a third-generation Air Force Academy cadet, with his father and grandfather, Gen. Robin Rand (Ret.), having also graduated from the academy. The sophomore’s great-grandfather, Col. Phil Rand (Ret.), was a fighter pilot in the Air Force before the academy began.

A sophomore at the academy, Robinson has continued his basketball career as a guard for the Falcon basketball team, where he has taken a larger role on the court after playing just one minute all of last season. As a result, Robinson has become a leader on the team, a role he is familiar with in his two seasons at Lewis-Palmer. 

“He had incredible leadership, an air of confidence about him,” Ranger coach Bill Benton said. “It didn’t matter what he did; he was strong in an area, good in the classroom as a speaker, a leader, and a player. Someone who could command a room. People are drawn to him. He’s a perfect fit for the academy, a perfect fit for leadership.” 

Robinson moved to Monument from Qatar before his junior year, and despite having to finish his Qatar schoolwork virtually in the middle of the night, Col. Robinson knew it was worth it after the first practice. 

“He came out so happy,” Robinson recalls. “His first game as a varsity player, we didn’t know what it would be like to go from a tiny school that didn’t have many players to one of the best in the state. But he played well and was really connected with his teammates.”

While Robinson was not the top player on a stacked Lewis-Palmer team that won the 2022 4A state title that year, his senior year was different. 

The team didn’t have the same depth, so a lot of the scoring fell on Robinson, who averaged 18.7 points and 10.6 rebounds a game. 

“He will figure out a way to compete and put himself in a position to excel,” Col. Robinson said. “Part of that is his personal discipline and love of the game, and another part is his teammates and coaches, which I know are the most important part of basketball for him.” 

Robinson has had a similar experience at Air Force. The 6-foot-6 forward played one minute his entire freshman year at the academy, but is now averaging 29.6 minutes a game and has started every game this season. 

“It’s been great, but humbling,” Robinson said. “It’s easy being on the bench thinking I could have done this or this, but actually getting the experience and seeing how fast-paced the game is, how physical you have to be, how hard you have to play, it’s been a big learning experience. It’s what helps you get better.”

Attending the academy has been transformative for Robinson, particularly in academics. 

“In high school, I was really one-dimensional and only cared about basketball, and being here, you don’t have that option,” Robinson, a data science major, said. “Having a routine here has helped me have more balance in my life, which has helped me balance school and basketball.”

Last season, Robinson was named a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete and was recently selected for the Cadet Summer Research Program, where he will spend three weeks doing research at Johns Hopkins. 

Attending the academy was a no-brainer for Robinson, who was excited about following in his family’s footsteps. Robinson is in the same squadron that his father was, Cadet Squadron 20, and the two have bonded over shared experiences at the academy. 

“My dad has been so supportive, I would not be this far without my dad,” Robinson said. “I wasn’t a great student in high school, but he pushed me to be better, and that’s what I’ve applied here. He knows the struggles of being a cadet and being in the military. Having to balance a lot of things on your plate.” 

Being close to home has also been a key part of his experience, especially his family’s ability to attend almost every home game. His parents and grandparents, who are season ticket holders, are in the same seats every time, giving Robinson comfort in high-pressure moments. 

While Robinson is the only basketball player in his family, Rand (class of 1979) played football and baseball at the academy. 

“Not a lot of people are privileged to see your whole family at every game,” Robinson said. “I can’t put it into words. Having support at your games, almost like routine, is so great to have.”

Robinson has also stayed connected to the Lewis-Palmer community and often attends basketball games while supporting his two younger siblings at various school events. He and Benton remain close. 

Despite the Falcon’s 3-17 record, Robinson is proud of how the team has responded to adversity this season with a positive attitude. He loves the game, but it’s the friendships he’s made that he’s enjoyed most about the academy. 

“I want us to continue to improve and play with high energy, see how far we can go with this group,” Robinson said. “We are a young and inexperienced team, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how we keep competing with these really good teams and see how good we can get.”