BOONE, N.C. – Darryl Robinson, a name etched throughout the App State men’s basketball record books, will have his jersey retired by the program on Feb. 22, App State Athletics announced Monday. Robinson’s jersey will be the first in App State men’s basketball history to be hung from the rafters.
The retirement ceremony will take place at halftime of App State’s home finale against the Marshall Thundering Herd, the culmination of a season-long celebration of the Mountaineer legend.
“I’m not sure I can put into words what this means to me,” Robinson said. “App State has been home since I was 17 years old. I’ve learned a lot of life lessons here that I’ve held with me for the last 50 years. I’m humbled to be the first and it’s a tremendous honor.”
As a leader, champion and the highest NBA draft pick in program history, Darryl laid a foundation for many Mountaineers to build upon since his playing days in Boone.
A 1986 App State Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Robinson was a two-time All-SoCon second-team honoree, a first-team All-SoCon selection in 1979 and the 1979 SoCon Tournament MVP. Wearing No. 10 for the Black and Gold, he was the Mountaineers’ leading scorer three different years and led the program to back-to-back SoCon championships and App State’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Robinson was drafted 78th overall in the 1978-79 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
“We are thrilled to honor Darryl’s outstanding legacy by making him the first player in program history to have his jersey retired,” said Director of Athletics Doug Gillin. “As a leader, champion and the highest NBA draft pick in program history, Darryl laid a foundation for many Mountaineers to build upon since his playing days in Boone.”
Robinson came to Boone as a freshman, joining what was a three-win team in 1974-75, and immediately led a 10-win turnaround as the leading scorer for the Mountaineers. By his senior year, Robinson had helped put the Mountaineers on the map as he led App State to a 7-0 start to begin the year and 23 total wins, which culminated in an outright SoCon Championship, the team’s second consecutive regular-season title.
In the 1978-79 SoCon Tournament, Robinson was outstanding, leading the team to a quarterfinal win over VMI and a 22-point victory over Western Carolina in the semifinals. He cemented his name as an App State legend by scoring 26 points in the championship game against Furman, which led to the Mountaineers’ first SoCon Tournament championship and punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. Robinson was App State’s first SoCon Tournament MVP.
Robinson is the only Mountaineer to be a part of two consecutive outright conference championships
Darryl made me a lot better coach, and his leadership was unmatched,” legendary App State head coach Bobby Cremins said. “He came in and started from day one when we were down and out and helped us win a championship. I’m very proud to see this happen, but most importantly, Darryl deserves this honor.”
Thousands of Mountaineer faithful flocked to Varsity Gym to welcome home Robinson and the Mountaineers ahead of their first-round game against the LSU Tigers.
Robinson’s esteemed career in the High Country saw him amass 1,631 points, still the eighth-most in program history, while shooting an impressive 50 percent from the field. He played in 111 games and was a starter from the moment he stepped on campus. He also pulled in 408 rebounds and dished out 220 assists.
He is the only Mountaineer to be a part of two consecutive outright conference championships, winning in the 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons. The 23 wins in 1978-79 has only been surpassed by four other teams (1999-00, 2006-07, 2009-10 and 2023-24).
“Darryl Robinson without a doubt deserves to be the first person in App State Basketball history to have their jersey retired,” head coach Dustin Kerns said. “He led App State to its first NCAA Tournament appearance and was drafted to the NBA. Most importantly, he loves App State and is such a proud alumnus and Mountaineer. It is truly an honor to be a part of this moment, and I am so happy for him, Gwen and their family for this well-earned recognition.”
Robinson is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and currently lives in Raleigh with his wife, Gwen. He is the father of Shawan Robinson, who also had a successful college basketball career at Clemson from 2002-06, and Joy Strong (formerly Robinson).
