Clifford Robinson (basketball, born 1966)
A versatile and durable forward who terrorized opponents for 18 NBA seasons with his unique inside-outside game and signature headband.
1966–2020 (age 54)·American basketball player·Birthday: December 16·Generation X
Biography
Clifford Robinson was the prototype of the modern stretch-big, a player whose game was a decade ahead of its time. Drafted in the second round out of UConn by the Portland Trail Blazers, 'Uncle Cliffy' quickly proved his worth as a dynamic, 6-foot-10 force who could defend multiple positions, score in the post, and, unusually for his era, step out and drain three-pointers. He was the engine of Portland's deep bench, earning the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award in 1993, and blossomed into an All-Star the following season. His career was a marathon of consistency, playing 18 seasons and appearing in over 1,300 games, a testament to his toughness and adaptability. Stops in Phoenix, Detroit, Golden State, and New Jersey followed, where he remained a valued veteran and floor-spacer. With his ever-present headband and relentless motor, Robinson left an indelible mark as a player who expanded what was possible for a man of his size.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Clifford was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Clifford Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Clifford's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2020Died at 54
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Played 18 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 1,380 games, one of the longest careers for a player of his era.
- Named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1993 as a key contributor for the Portland Trail Blazers.
- Selected as an NBA All-Star in 1994 while averaging a career-high 20.1 points per game.
- Led the NBA in three-pointers made during the 1999-2000 season with the Phoenix Suns.
Did You Know?
He was known for his distinctive headband, which he wore throughout his entire NBA career.
Robinson was a contestant on the reality TV show 'Survivor: Cagayan' in 2014.
His jersey number 00 was retired by the University of Connecticut in 2007.
He was the first player in NBA history to make at least 1,000 three-pointers while also recording over 1,000 blocks.
“I just wanted to stretch the floor and make the defense uncomfortable.”
