Flynn Robinson, an NBA guard in the 60s and 70s, has died at the age of 72.
According to a New York Times obituary, Robinson passed away after a battle with multiple myeloma. He died on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Robinson played college basketball at the University of Wyoming before being drafted in the second round of the 1965 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals. He played for seven years in the NBA, never staying with one team for more than two consecutive seasons. He hopped around the country, playing for the Royals, the Chicago Bulls, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Baltimore Bullets.
Robinson was part of the legendary 1971-72 Lakers, which won the 1972 NBA Finals. The Lakers organization has issued a statement on the athlete’s passing, expressing condolences and calling him “a proud part of our Lakers heritage.”
“We are very sad to hear of the passing of Flynn Robinson,” said Jeanie Buss, Lakers EVP of business operations. “Flynn played an important role on the 1971-72 Lakers team that brought Los Angeles its first NBA Championship and won what is still an NBA-record 33 consecutive games. Lakers fans might remember him as ‘Mr. Instant Point,’ a nickname given to him by the great Chick Hearn, a nickname that was well earned as Flynn led the reserves in scoring that season, averaging 10 points in 16 minutes off the bench. He was a proud part of our Lakers heritage, participating in numerous reunions and special events over the years and he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time.”
(Image courtesy the Los Angeles Lakers)
