Getting Defensive

In New York, Crystal Robinson earned a reputation as one of the WNBA’s top defenders. Now the Mystics are benefiting from the veteran’s intense work ethic.

By Lois Elfman

In a league increasingly populated with 20-somethings who played in high profile Division I programs, Crystal Robinson truly stands out … sort of. The starting forward for the Washington Mystics, who played college basketball at an NAIA school (one of only three players in the WNBA to do so), is well known by any player who has been defended by her. She was beloved by fans in New York, where she played seven seasons with the Liberty. And she is respected internationally for her stellar play in Italy, Greece, Israel and Russia. But Robinson is a quiet, determined individual who receives little public fanfare — something that suits her just fine.

This season finds her with the Mystics, who are 8–6 at press time. She joined the team as a free agent at the request of head coach Richie Adubato, who coached Robinson with the Liberty for five and a half years.

“I’m definitely one of the players who knows Richie’s system, and I’m just trying to help all the girls understand it,” said Robinson, 32. “It’s good and it works if you have faith in it. My career has been great playing for him, so I thought it was a win/win situation.

“This team has great components and it has the opportunity to get deep into the playoffs.”

Abudato is counting on the 5-foot-11 Robinson to provide strong defense and teach it to others. She came into the WNBA known as a shooter, and during her rookie season (1999) set a league record for three-point shots made. But over time her role evolved, and in an article published in Inside Stuff magazine last year both Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings named her the toughest defender in the league.

“Playing with Teresa Weatherspoon and Vickie Johnson (former Liberty starting guards), two tremendous defenders, I didn’t want to always be the weakest one on the court,” Robinson said. “You’re only as strong as your weakest link, so I had to develop that skill and I got pretty good at it. Richie kind of turned me into that. Every night he put me on the other team’s best player.” Now he trusts her to impart that knowledge to others.

Teaching and helping young players develop is second nature to Robinson, as is not asking for recognition in return. “I feel like helping people is something you do because you really want to do it. You do it because that’s who and what you are. I don’t need a lot of credit and thanks for that,” she explained.

“I do have a strong desire to teach and coach and I look forward to going into coaching,” she added. “In basketball, a lot of people touched my life. I learned a lot from a lot of different people, from different kinds of people. It’s a great vessel to reach out to young people.”

Right now what Robinson is imparting to her teammates are the lessons she has learned from playing year-round basketball for the past eight years. After graduating from Southeast Oklahoma State in 1996, she joined the now defunct American Basketball League. Since that league’s demise, Robinson has balanced the WNBA’s summer season with a full overseas season (usually eight months).

“It’s catching up to me now,” she admitted. “My body is a struggle every day. I have to really take care of myself and mind my p’s and q’s just to feel good on the court.

“I was speaking to some of the rookies about it the other day,” she continued. “Overseas is great and you make money, but don’t get caught up in doing it eight years straight. Play a year overseas and take a year off for your body’s sake and to keep yourself fresh.”

Although Robinson still has a few more playing years left, she knows the end is in sight. She said she would miss the camaraderie of playing on team.

“The feeling that you’re fighting for something with other people,” she noted. “You learn to depend on other people. You learn how to make sacrifices. Being a team sport player, sometimes you have to give up some of yourself. It’s a feeling you don’t find anywhere else in your life.”

She has learned to forge that bond overseas despite language barriers. When Americans play overseas, they’re looked at as the go-to person and anything less than 20 points a game is a disappointment.

“When you are someone’s go-to player and everyone depends on you, it’s up to you to set an example,” she said. “I can’t judge whether the ball is going to go in every single night, but I can play with the same amount of intensity every single night. If I can get that to rub off on my teammates, then I’m doing the job that I am paid to do.”

This season Robinson will be sharing that intensity with her fellow Mystics as they fight to bring team owner Sheila Johnson a championship.

“Sheila Johnson is such a good leader and she’s so good to us that you want to run through a brick wall for her to be successful,” said Robinson. “She is one of those leaders who makes you want to give your all and do the best job that you can do.”

Not that Crystal Robinson would do any less.