Clifford Robinson Talks About Cannabis Use and His Successful NBA Career
"Uncle Cliffy" stated that the plant never hindered his journey in sports, which is why he has always spoken openly about the topic
By Sechat editorial team with information from Basketball Network
What is your opinion on cannabis use by sports stars? I imagine that if you don't have a formed opinion, it's because you agree that the subject is controversial. In the NBA, the premier league of North American basketball, one of its legends, former player Clifford Robinson, who played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, and New Jersey Nets, spent most of his retirement trying to change the misconception about his favorite recreational activity.
Most NBA players do not take a stance on cannabis use. However, Robinson has always openly stated that he has been an advocate for cannabis throughout his brilliant career in sports. For this reason, he received three suspensions in the process. The punishments did not make "Uncle Cliffy" change his way of thinking.
Robinson has accumulated several achievements in his journey, being a one-time NBA All-Star, a two-time All-Defensive team member, and the sixth man of the year. He was also one of the few players who remained active in the most competitive basketball league in the world until the age of 40.
During interviews, he stated that the use of the plant never hindered his career as an athlete.
“I want to break the myth that athletes and cannabis don’t mix,” Robinson said in 2017 via Oregon Live. “I played 18 years in the NBA and used marijuana intermittently along the way and had no problems.”
Thoughts from the Lawyer and Entrepreneur
Robinson retired in 2007. Since then, “Uncle Cliffy” has dedicated his life to advocating for the benefits of cannabis. He also took the opportunity to make some money by starting a cannabis business he called "Uncle Spliffy".
“It’s an opportunity for me to go out and tell people a little about myself outside of basketball,” Robinson said about his marijuana business in 2016, via Business Journal. “People in Oregon know me as a basketball player, but I want to distill the stigma around marijuana, the misconception that athletes and marijuana are incompatible.”
He added: "Cannabis is definitely a more positive alternative to pharmaceuticals at the end of the day. Those are synthetic. I’m talking about something natural that can bring the results you’re looking for, whether for muscle tension or relaxation or preparation".
In 2020, Robinson finally succumbed to lymphoma after battling the disease for a year. But make no mistake, until his last breath; “Uncle Cliffy” was convinced that marijuana had nothing to do with his condition. If anything, he used it to help him.