NBA All-Star & ‘Survivor’ Alum Cliff Robinson Dies at 53

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Former NBA All-Star turned reality star Cliff Robinson has died at 53.

The death of the basketball player, who went on to compete on Survivor in 2013, was announced by his alma mater, the University of Connecticut, on Saturday.

“The UConn Basketball family mourns the loss of a legendary player and person, Clifford Robinson. Our thoughts and prayers are with Cliff’s family at this difficult time,” the Twitter statement reads. “Rest In Peace, Cliff.”

The UConn Basketball family mourns the loss of a legendary player and person, Clifford Robinson. Our thoughts and prayers are with Cliff’s family at this difficult time 🙏

Rest In Peace, Cliff. pic.twitter.com/Bp6Z5hbVUb

— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) August 29, 2020

Former UConn Huskies coach Jim Calhoun reacted to the loss, saying, “He was our first great player… he came from a difficult background in Buffalo, I watched him evolve as a man … he was a good man, had a great career, and was instrumental in a lot of the great things that happened at UConn.”

Jim Calhoun on Cliff Robinson: “He was our first great player… he came from a difficult background in Buffalo, I watched him evolve as a man … he was a good man, had a great career, and was instrumental in a lot of the great things that happened at UConn.”

— David Borges (@DaveBorges) August 29, 2020

Robinson was not only a former All-Star but also the 1993 Sixth Man of the Year. He spent 18 seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, and New Jersey Nets.

He later went on to appear on Survivor: Cagayan, the long-running CBS series’ 28th season, which was themed “Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty.” A member of the Brawn tribe, the former basketball player was the fifth castaway voted off the season.