Jaxson Robinson thrives on the challenge of competing against elite defenders Otega Oweh and Lamont Butler in practice.
Oweh and Butler are recognized as two of the top defensive guards in the country.
Coming off a dominant 97-68 win over Lipscomb, Kentucky basketball saw Robinson shine in a strong bounce-back performance. After a tough outing against Duke in the Champions Classic, where he scored just one point and went 0-4 from the field, Robinson rebounded with an impressive 20 points on 6-10 shooting, including 3-6 from beyond the arc.
Following the Lipscomb game, head coach Mark Pope praised Robinson’s resilience, noting how he maintained high energy on defense despite struggling offensively against Duke. On Thursday, Pope emphasized that one of the main reasons Robinson chose Kentucky was the presence of Oweh and Butler. Their defensive prowess has been a major factor in Robinson’s development on both ends of the floor, while also aiding teammate Koby Brea’s growth.
“Jaxson was really excited to come here because Lamont and Otega were here,” Pope explained. “He wanted to face them every day in practice to improve. You won’t find many better backcourt defenders in the NBA than what he’s seeing in those two right now. There’s nothing that will surprise him. These two are elite, physical, and dynamic defensive players, and going against them daily is invaluable for both Jaxson and Koby.”
Pope recognizes the impact of Butler and Oweh on their teammates. With Robinson and Brea eager to elevate their defensive skills, they are already adopting key traits from these standout defenders just four games into the season.
