Xavier McDaniel made me dream of dunking. Dale Ellis made 25-footers seem possible. And along with Ricky Pierce — who set an NBA record for most consecutive makes at the line as a member of the Sonics — Rumeal Robinson made me want to practice free throws.
Robinson became famous in 1989, when he hit the game-winning free throws in the final seconds of Michigan’s national championship victory over Seton Hall. That game was my first real memory of college basketball, and Robinson was the hero. He went on to play a few years in the NBA, but he’ll always be known for that one shining moment as a Wolverine.
Today, Robinson resurfaced in the headlines after he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison by an Iowa judge for fraud. Back in September, Robinson was found guilty of 11 charges, including bank bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Between ’04 and ’05, prosecutors argued, Robinson borrowed more than $700,000 from a bank loan office in Ankeny, Iowa. At the time he said the money for for a business venture, but Robinson bought a condo, cars, and furniture, and invested in an energy company. In addition to the jail term, Robinson must pay $1.2 million in restitution.
It’s a sad case, but Seton Hall fans aren’t crying. I’m sure they’ve long held Robinson responsible as a co-conspirator with the referee on that terrible, horrible, no-good foul call that sent him to the free-throw line in the first place.
