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When the 2023-24 NBA season began, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was not on an NBA roster. After playing a solid role as a rookie for the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2021-22 season, an ankle injury near the beginning of the 2022-23 season sidelined him for about two months and he never really looked the same. The Thunder traded him to the Houston Rockets in the offseason and the Rockets cut him as part of a roster crunch. But a new opportunity with the New Orleans Pelicans has Jeremiah Robinson-Earl looking to get his NBA career back on track.
Robinson-Earl was cut by the Rockets right as the 2023-24 season was set to tip-off. It was a few weeks later that the Pelicans signed him to a two-way contract. He had offers from other NBA teams for standard contracts as per Shams Charania of The Athletic, but he chose the Pelicans because of the potential fit.
After his rookie season, it's not surprising that Robinson-Earl had interest around the NBA. Coming out of Villanova, he was projected to be the type of player who has a long NBA career simply by being a top-notch role player. He certainly looked the part early in his career with the Thunder.
JEREMIAH ROBINSON-EARL JUST TOOK IT AWAY 🖐 pic.twitter.com/OKpuzs29cE
— ESPN (@espn) January 25, 2022
But after suffering the ankle injury, falling out of the Thunder rotation, being traded to the Rockets and ultimately being cut, the past year was like a crash course for Robinson-Earl in how fast life in the NBA can come at you.
“You just got to always be ready for any circumstance,” Robinson-Earl told ClutchPoints. “Nothing is promised, you got to keep your head down, keep working hard and just live with the results of that.”
On a two-way contract, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will spend most of his time in the G League with the Pelicans G-League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron. He's eligible to play in up to 50 games with the Pelicans but won't be eligible to play in the playoffs should the Pelicans make it, unless his contract is covered to a standard one.
Here’s Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, a new two-way signee, doing things against the Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/9607zS6sWQ
— Pelicans Lead (@PelicansLead) November 3, 2023
Although this is his first season playing on a two-way contract, Robinson-Earl is no stranger to the G League. He was assigned to the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder's affiliate last season as part of his rehab from the ankle injury. He played a total of four games in the G League averaging 18.3 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists with shooting splits of 66.7 percent from the field, 50 percent from the three-point line and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line.
He has yet to be assigned to the G League by the Pelicans but in the event that it happens, Robinson-Earl would welcome the additional live game reps.
“I think it's a good place to just keep getting better. It's a great environment, great chemistry from the coaching staff to the players and I just love being around these guys,” Robinson-Earl said. “It's a lot of fun to keep learning every single day and just keep being the best version of myself that I can be.”
When Robinson-Earl came into the NBA, he was projected to be a versatile defensive player who could switch between the four and the five. That was able to translate to the league right away. He was a tough defender who was able to mix it up defending centers in the paint and switch onto forwards on the perimeter.
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Developing a consistent three-point shot is the next step in Robinson-Earl really becoming a modern big man capable of putting up solid production in regular NBA minutes. But it's getting there, he shot 35.2 percent and 33.3 percent from three-point range in about three attempts per game during two seasons with the Thunder, respectively. He knows that in order to make himself more valuable in the league, becoming a versatile, switching big man is key.
“I want to be as versatile as possible, that's kind of what the league is going towards is versatile forwards and bigs,” Robinson-Earl said. “Just being able to stretch the floor, being able to guard one through five is really important for teams to see.”
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl knocks down the corner 3-ball 🎯
— Pelicans Nation (@PelsNationCP) December 22, 2023
The G League Winter Showcase is underway this week in Orlando but Robinson-Earl has remained with the Pelicans as he has all season so far. He's suited up in 11 games including one start back on Nov. 8 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He responded with one of his best games of the season to the tune of 11 points and nine rebounds on 3-7 shooting from the field.
That began a stretch of seven games during which he received regular playing time. That was followed by a string of DNP's and he hasn't quite been able to crack the rotation since. It's a long season though and Robinson-Earl is confident in what he is able to bring to the team should his number be called.
“I bring versatility, just ready to go out there and work hard and bring winning plays,” Robinson-Earl said. “I try to win every game as possible, I want us to win as many games as possible.”
With his skill-set, there may be a pathway to minutes for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl in the Pelicans rotation this season. As of publication, he was in the rotation and playing well against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. But whatever happens the rest of this season, his goal of the year is quite simple.
“Just me going out there every single day and being the best version of myself, whatever that entails,” Robinson-Earl said. “And then just having to live with those results.”
