Justin Robinson
Robinson is a British offensive-minded basketball player born in Brixton, London on 17th October 1987.
Robinson attended Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey before moving to Rider College. Standing at 6ft 2, Robinson is a shooting guard. He started his basketball career in 2011 with Maroussi and is the definition of a journeyman having played for the likes of Apollon Limassol in Cyprus, Falcon KC Szombathely in Hungary, Kolossos Rodou in Rhodes (Greece), and Aries Trikala also in Greece just to name a few.
Strengths:
Crafty shot creator with great vision who makes the players around him better.
Quick guard with impressive top-end speed
He can score efficiently from the perimeter while his passing out of ball screen actions are second to none with being able to open the floor unlike anyone in the league.
Weaknesses:
Defensively he struggles to block shots averaging 0 blocks per game last season
Career highlights
Robinson has enjoyed a solid career which has included numerous individual honors including:
- 2x BBL Most Valuable player 18-19 for London Lions
- First-team All – MAAC for Maroussi in 2011
In 19/20 Justin Robinson played 13 games where he posted an average of 16.2 points per game. He shot 42% from the field. Regarding rebounds per game, he got 3.4 as well as 0 blocks per game. His assists per game last season were 4.8 down from the season before which was 4.9. In the 18/19 season, he averaged 19.2 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Justin Robinson has this to say in regard to playing in Europe “It feels amazing to be playing in the champions league qualifiers.” He added “It’s a great chance for us to make history and show people that British basketball is life.”
Kevin Douglas Ware
Ware is an American professional basketball player shooting guard born in Bronx, New York on January 3rd, 1993.
Ware attended Rockdale County high school in Conyers, Georgia before moving to Louisville college in 2011. The 27-year-old then went to Georgia state college in 2014 to further his education. Standing at 6ft 5, Ware is a shooting guard. He started his basketball career in 2017 for Kauhajoen Karhu in Finland and is anything but a one-club man having also featured for the likes of Brno, in the Czech Republic, Faros Larissas in Greece, and London lightning just to name a few.
Strengths and weaknesses:
Defensive force and athletic finisher at the rim who will bring another high-level energy to the London Lions cause this season. His resilience is innate, whether it was battling amongst the NBA players on his team or through the dice that was rolled for him, his demeanor, energy, and charisma is catching.
Career highlights:
NCAA Champion 2013 in Louisville college
Sun Belt Tournament MVP (2015) in Georgia state college
Statistics:
Kevin Ware played 10 games in the 19/20 season where he averaged 13.1 points per game. He shot 41.7% from the field. Ware averaged 6.1 rebounds as well as 0.7 blocks per game. 2 seasons ago his assists were 2.9 per game. He also averaged 11.1 points, 0.4 blocks, and 5.2 rebounds per game.
He is relishing the opportunity to play at the Copperbox Arena and had this to say:
‘’I am very excited about having the opportunity to play here in England and even more excited to be playing in the biggest city’’
‘’The London Lions are a great club that is doing great things not just in the UK, but through communities across greater London’’
‘’I must say I am very excited and cannot wait to do my part un helping this organization become greater and achieve greater height’’.
Kervin Bristol
Kervin Bristol is a Haitian American defensive-minded player born in Port-Au Prince, Haiti on September 4th, 1988.
From Haiti to the US
Bristol attended Institution Saint-Louis de Gonzague Secondary school in Haiti, before moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to attended Broward College.
The 31-year-old then moved on to Fordham University, which boasts Eric Paschal as their most recent graduate to play in the NBA, and he has had a starring role with the Golden State Warriors in his debut season – while Steph curry recovered from injury.
Standing at 6ft10, Bristol is a Power Forward/Centre who recently played for MBC Mykolaiv in the Ukraine Super League.
He started his basketball career in 2012 at Istanbutspor and is somewhat of a journeyman, having played for the likes of Hopsi Polzela in Slovenia, Mykolaiv in Ukraine, JDA Dijon in France, Anwil Wloclaveh in Poland just to name a few.
Strengths and weaknesses:
Standing at 6’10, Bristol is not likely to pop many three-pointers next season.
What you will find the Haitian doing is dominating the paint, making his presence known to the opposition.
Inside the oppositions paint, Bristol will be up close and personal, using his physical prowess to score his team’s points, laying up close range or dunking his marker.
Another strength of the 31year old is his clever thinking and awareness when it comes to pick and roll plays and screens – you will often find Bristol screening to create space for his teammate or occasionally himself.
In an interview by hoopshabit.com on the strengths of his game, Bristol said:” It would be my defensive capabilities, rebounding and blocking shots.
“I do have offensive skills, and many people underestimate men that end.”
Career Highlights
Playing for Hopsi Polzela in Slovenia, Bristol won the 2013 Slovenian League MVP, as well as being crowned the rebounding champion in the same season.
The following year, Bristol moved to Mykolaiv in Ukraine where he won the Ukrainian League Defensive player of the year, as well as being named the Ukrainian League Rebounding champion of the year too.
The forward then broke three records during his short stay at Nizhny Novgovod in Russia, most rebounds average in a game (19), highest rebound average (9.63), and most blocks in a half (5).
Last season’s statistics
Bristol rejoined Mykolaiv last season and played 23 games for the Ukrainian side, where he posted an average of 6.6 points per game.
Shooting 53.1% from the field, Bristol again impressed more with the defensive side to his game, averaging 8.1 rebounds per game as well as 1.4 blocks per game. Since the Haiti star last played for the Lions, his assists per game have gone from 1.2 to 0.7, but this won’t be too much of a worry for head coach Vince Macauley.
Bristol averaged 6.4 points per game at the Lions back in the 2018-19 BBL season and cemented himself as a fan favorite with his dominating defensive displays – making 1.8 blocks per game and 6.8 rebounds per game.
“Loveliest guy I have ever coached”
Lions head coach Vince Macauley has spoken fondly of Bristol’s work rate, attitude, and personality.
“Kervin is one of the most lovely guys I have ever coached, he really is a coach’s dream,” said Lions head coach Vince Macaulay.
“He works hard all the time, he takes on any challenge on the floor and the spirit he brings to the team is awesome.
“One of the main reasons we achieved what we did was down to Kervin and I knew if the chance ever arose again, I would bring him back to London”.
The Lions kick off their campaign on Nov 1, 2020.
