Due to his height, Robert was encouraged to pursue basketball. He weighed just 190 lb. when he made his high school basketball debut (86 kg).
Career in the Beginning
In 2014, he was recruited for the first time by A.S. Stella Azzurra, an amateur basketball team headquartered in Italy. The club is well-known for its development of NBA power forward Andrea Bargnani.
Numerous coaches also mentioned Robert, who had an improved mid-range jumper and passing abilities, according to his scouting report. Additionally, his enormous height and physical characteristics rendered him an obvious mismatch for any of his opponents.
On the contrary, he lacks endurance and movement on the court as a result of his muscle deficiency. As a result, his prodigious gait threatened to exhaust him earlier than his teammates in a single try. As a result, he was advised to address his lean muscle and tiredness issues.
Despite the issue, he joined Stella Azzurra and helped the team win the Under 15 championship. As video footage of the fight appeared online, he was shown crushing the much shorter tournament and quickly gained popularity on the Italian circuit. Additionally, he garnered the attention of numerous national and international news organizations.
Career in High School
Robert relocated to Geneva, Ohio, in the United States following his years in the A.S. Stella Azzurra. In 2016, he enrolled at the SPIRE Institute and Academy, a prep school.
He was initially tutored in the American manner to build him up during his freshman year. This is because American basketball is more physical than European basketball. After a year of preparation, he made his debut with the SPIRE Institute and Academy on January 14, 2017. Following that, he enrolled in the adjacent Grand River Academy in 2018.
SPIRE Institute, according to the source, pays for his training and boarding expenditures, which total around $55k a year. Additionally, they provide him with a medical facility that includes multiple consultations with psychologists and treatment at the Cleveland Clinic.
Robert enrolled in Rochester University in 2020 to pursue a better academic degree.
