Pistons' Duncan Robinson Opens Up About Anxiety and Talks 'Overpaid' Criticism

The Detroit Pistons added Duncan Robinson via a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat this offseason, inking him to a three-year, $48 million deal.

As he embarks on the next chapter of his NBA career after spending the first portion with the Miami Heat, Robinson reflected on his own mentality and the ups and downs he endured in Miami, when he went from being an undrafted free agent and little-used reserve to a regular contributor who signed a five-year, $90 million deal in Miami, only to once again see his role ebb and flow later in that contract.

"The public perspective shifted my own perspective of myself," he told Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. "The challenging part of that was realizing and coming to terms with the fact that a public perception should not be indicative of, or define how I think of myself or the process in which I take to get to the person that I want to be."

"As much as somebody can tell you, 'Aw, don't worry about what someone's saying,' or 'Don't worry about that,' we're all human beings," he continued. "We see and hear things around us all the time. So, working through and getting to the other side of that—of I'm not defined by being an 'underdog,' I'm not defined by being 'overpaid.' I'm defined by what I show up and do every single day."

Because Robinson has indeed been something of an underdog, from not playing a prominent role on his high school team to going undrafted, he's carried a certain level of uncertainty with him at every stop.

"I've always had this anxiety of like, 'Am I good enough?'" he told Patterson. "Obviously, I have some God-given talents and abilities. ... I sort of feel my superpower has sort of existed in that space of, 'I haven't really achieved anything yet.'"

There's a fine line between the uncertainty that serves as a form of motivation and the uncertainty that serves as debilitating doubt. Robinson skews more toward the former, bolstered by his 39.7 shooting percentage on threes in his career and his vast playoff experience. In the modern NBA, sharpshooters remain valuable, and Detroit clearly saw his value this offseason.

The Pistons are hoping to take the next step into title contention this season, built around a young core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. Robinson will add to the veteran voices in the room, which also includes Tobias Harris and Caris LeVert. It's a solid balance to strike between the young and the experienced, and a chance for Robinson to once again prove his worth.