SAN ANTONIO – Former University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball standout Imani Robinson is playing professionally for the Magec Tias in Lanzarote, Spain.
 
Robinson left for Lanzarote on Sept. 28, 2021. After just three practices with her new team, the Round Rock, Texas, native took the floor for the first time in almost a year and a half.
 
Graduating amid a pandemic in May of 2020, Robinson's initial experience was anything but smooth.
 
"With most overseas teams not recruiting rookies because of the circumstances, I had to play the waiting game," Robinson said. "I had three contracts come and fall through for different reasons, one of those reasons being I was waiting on my passport to come in, with COVID-19 delaying the process."
 
Robinson stayed true to her vision and remained active, working out four to five times a week while coaching an eighth grade Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team.
 
"If this is a dream of yours, never give up on it," Robinson said. "If you are able to get this opportunity, take it, because not many people get to advance to the next level. The transition is anything but comfortable, but you do not grow when you are comfortable. Your mindset will ultimately make or break your experience."
 
When she finally got the chance to play again, Robinson credited UIW for making her marketable and enhancing her opportunities.
 
"In college, I played positions one through four, and that opened up my game and made me a better all-around basketball player," Robinson said. "You could stick me just about anywhere on offense and defense, which helped my overseas recruitment."
 
During her senior season at UIW, Robinson finished seven games with 20-plus points and averaged 14.3 points on the season.
 
"This a tremendous honor for Imani," UIW head women's basketball coach Jeff Dow said. "She obviously had a very accomplished career at UIW and was instrumental in leading this program to heights it had never seen before since it transitioned to Division I. She had a tendency to come up huge for us in big moments and against our tougher opponents. 
 
"In Imani's senior year, we knocked off three teams that were in first place at the time, including the program's first ever win over SFA. And in each of those wins, she played outstanding and made big plays or shots down the stretch. It was fitting that she led our program to its first appearance in the Southland Conference Tournament in her final season, and in the process, she was named first team all-conference."
 
Robinson has played in eight games for the Magic Tias. As a starter, she is averaging 9.4 points per game and is leading the team in minutes played with 36.8 per game.
 
"Undoubtedly, with the skillset she possesses, this will surely be just the start of what figures to be a long professional career for Imani," Dow said. "And it shows our current players and future recruits that it's possible to earn an opportunity like this playing at UIW."

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