The transfer portal tide continues.
Former Butler guard Azavier “Stink” Robinson transferred to UCLA men’s basketball, he announced on Instagram Saturday morning.
Robinson becomes the fourth transfer and second guard to join the Bruins following the additions of Auburn forward Filip Jovic, Mississippi State forward Sergej Macura and Texas Tech guard Jaylen Petty.
The Indianapolis local played in 22 games and started in 15 in his true freshman season, where he averaged 6.1 points, 2.5 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while playing 18.3 minutes per contest.
Robinson – a former four-star recruit out of high school, ranked as the No. 98 prospect and No. 16 combo guard in the nation by 247Sports – could become a true backup point guard to sophomore guard Trent Perry, boasting the defensive tenacity commonly seen in a coach Mick Cronin point guard. He can shoot efficiently from deep, logging a 43.3% clip from deep at Butler this season.
The new UCLA addition garnered seven double-digit scoring games at Butler, with his best outings coming against then-No. 25 Seton Hall on Jan. 17, where he dropped 14 points, five assists and three rebounds, and against DePaul on Jan. 20, where he tallied 13 points, five assists and three steals.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 195 pounds, Robinson has the two-way versatility to play both guard spots, but his size in the Big Ten and UCLA’s current roster make him a candidate for the true backup point guard spot – similar to the role Malachi Smith held at UConn this season.
Robinson becomes the 11th scholarship player on the roster, joining an already packed backcourt with Perry, Petty and redshirt freshman guard Eric Freeny – who saw considerable minutes as one of the first athletes off the bench late in the season.
As the roster currently stands, Perry and Petty are projected to start at the one and two spots, with Freeny replacing Petty off the bench and Robinson replacing Perry off the bench, playing more as a true point guard while Petty and Freeny operate in the two spot.
That outlook could change with the potential addition of John Blackwell – the third-ranked player in the portal, per 247Sports – who is reportedly choosing between UCLA and Duke for his senior season. The Wisconsin guard averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 38.9% shooting from the 3-point line.
Cronin showcased the lethality of a three-guard lineup at the tail end of the season, using Perry and former Bruins Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent, and he could do the same if Blackwell comes to Westwood, sliding the former Badger to small forward and junior guard/forward Eric Daily Jr. to power forward.
And with the combination of limited remaining roster spots, the small sample of elite traditional centers in the portal, and Blackwell’s interest in UCLA, a three-guard lineup for the Bruins next campaign seems to be in the cards.
