‘Pick your poison’: Shooting ability makes UK women’s recruit a top-10 2028 prospect
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- Arianna Robinson won gold with Team USA at the 2025 FIBA U16 AmeriCup.
- 2028 guard Arianna Robinson reported a Kentucky offer in August 2024.
- Top 2028 recruit holds multiple DI offers and values strong team chemistry.
It’s quite unusual to ring in your 15th birthday with a gold medal, but 2028 standout and Kentucky target Arianna Robinson did just that this June with Team USA at the 2025 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup in Mexico.
“It was a great experience,” she said. “It was like a dream come true for me, because I wanted to do it for a long time, and then being able to win gold was great, too. I’m really blessed to be able to be a part of it.”
Across the United States’ six-game plow through the AmeriCup, Robinson served as a helpful punch off the bench. The guard averaged 9.7 points on 52.9% shooting from the field, plus two rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.3 blocks in approximately 14.5 minutes per game.
Robinson recorded in double figures in four of the six matchups, including contributing 12 points on 6-for-6 shooting from the field in the team’s 113-52 rout of Venezuela on June 16. She had a personal tournament high of 15 points to go with two rebounds, two assists and five steals in the team’s 138-38 win against Puerto Rico on June 17.
The Plano East (Texas) guard returned to the United States and joined her ProSkills EYBL teammates — including fellow UK target guard De’Andra Minor (No. 21 in 2027) — to finish out another summer of AAU ball.
The Herald-Leader caught up with Robinson, who announced receiving a UK offer in August 2024, at Nike Nationals in Chicago two weekends ago to learn more about her gold medal experience, her skill set, her recruitment and her relationship with Kenny Brooks.
Entering her sophomore year of high school, Robinson currently rates as the No. 10 overall prospect in the class of 2028. The 5-foot-10 guard is stacking Division I offers, most recently adding Iowa, Georgia, Michigan State, Stanford and Ole Miss.
It’s not just that Team USA put Robinson’s game on the world’s biggest stage, or that she’s a key piece on one of the country’s top AAU teams.
Making these teams is one thing. Consistently finding ways to meaningfully contribute was another, and is a testament to how Robinson has been working to expand her game. When asked what she’d focused on developing entering this summer, the guard highlighted her growth on both ends of the floor.
“I’d probably say my diverse scoring,” Robinson said. “I can score in a variety of ways, and I think my defense has also improved.”
ProSkills head coach Earl Rooksnoted that Robinson’s athletic ability, speed and strength make her a difficult matchup, but her “ability to shoot the ball” makes her tough to stop anywhere on the floor.
“It’s almost ‘pick your poison,’” Rooks said. “If you give her space, she can knock down a shot. If you jam her, she can use her strength and her skill set to maneuver around you and get to the basket.”
Rooks went on to highlight Robinson’s selflessness, stating that her “primary focus is on the team.”
Robinson, like many recruits, is tuned in to the relationships she’s building with potential coaches, citing the importance of how frequently coaches “want to talk to me.” She’s also plugged into a program’s team chemistry, and is wanting to continue her experience of a family feel at the next level.
“I think just playing together, showing love on each other and always encouraging each other even if we’re not on a good run or something,” Robinson said.
Though she is still an underclassman, Robinson has enjoyed getting to know Brooks and his staff over the years. The top-ranked 2028 recruit in the state of Texas appreciates Brooks as both a person and a coach.
“So far, I really like him,” she said. “I really like his staff. I think he’s a great guy. I’ve known him since Virginia Tech, so I think just keeping up with him has been great, and I think he’s a great coach.”
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 6:35 AM.
