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Thomas Robinson is a confident basketball player. Measured at 6’10 and 240-pounds with a 7’1 wingspan, the power forward from Kansas knows many NBA teams are salivating over the possibility of adding him to their roster. He is so confident in his own talents that he believes the New Orleans Hornets would be making a mistake in not considering him as the first choice in the 2012 NBA Draft, over Kentucky’s Anthony Davis.

“I’m a man,” Robinson said.  “I’m a grown man, so I don’t feel like I should hide my thoughts. I don’t think I’m saying anything wrong. Anthony Davis is the number one pick. It’s pretty obvious he’s going to be the number one pick, but I don’t feel that I’m wrong to say I could also be the number one pick. I don’t feel there’s anything wrong with what I’m saying and I’m not trying to bash anybody. That’s not what I’m doing, so I don’t worry about getting my words mixed up at all. Anthony’s a great player so he deserves his spot. I’m going to go where I go and I’m going to do what I do.”

His words may be bold, but Robinson believes he is speaking for many. He has the guts to say what most don’t and has the game to back up the talk, which is the most important thing. Davis may be the big name and a lock for the first name called in the upcoming draft, but Robinson knows he is in the same league as the big man from Kentucky.

“I’m a competitor,” Robinson said. “Anyone that competes in this game—most of the guys probably aren’t saying it but I’m sure they feel that way—this draft is very deep with talent, so there’s a lot of guys that could be number one talent. I don’t want to say every day was worthy of number one pick—we all know that, so I don’t want to get my words mixed up—but I can compete just like everybody else, so I’m going to compete when it comes to anything.”

He’s so confident, he will use being ‘snubbed’ as the number one pick as motivation for the beginning of his career. If his adjustment to the NBA goes as smoothly as Robinson believes, he will punish the Hornets and any other team who may pass on him on draft night.

“Like I said, I’m a competitor, so I want to the best at what I’m doing, so yes, I’m definitely going to feel offended,” Robinson said. “Like I said, where you go at, where you get picked at doesn’t matter. It’s about who shows up come November. That aggravation, that upset I have if I slip low, it would just come out in November. That’s nothing I can really discuss. Wherever I go, I go and I’ll be happy with it.”

Robinson has all the tools to dominate in the NBA and will be a high draft pick, but that doesn’t mean he is done with improving his game yet. He can still become even more dominant and has areas of his game he has pin-pointed as the areas he can still make progress.

“I think I’m nowhere near my peak,” Robinson said. “I think there are a lot of things I need to get better at, especially facing up. I think I’m pretty good offensively now, but I could get a lot better and I want to get to a point where I’ll be able to guard any position on the floor.”

Being a high pick, Robinson is going to go to a team with a losing record. Coming from a winning program in college, it can be a tough adjustment for rookies in his situation. However, with the confidence Robinson possesses, he believes his presence on a non-playoff team will help to turn around the team’s fortunes quickly.

“I think every program has its rebuilding stages where you have to get over a hump and me coming from Kansas with a winning mentality, I think that I could actually help instead of having a downfall,” said Robinson. “I just bring my winning mentality and hopefully try to install it in the guys there.”

That will be the immediate thing he brings to the team that selects him in the upcoming NBA draft, his winning mentality. He’s not accustomed to losing and he plans on being a leader for his new team from day one, no matter what team that may be.

“I’m a winner,” said Robinson. “I think my record proves that and that I’m a competitor. I’m going to bring it every day and I think any team in the draft should be able to be happy with taking me.”

At this point, Robinson is just ready for draft day. He feels he’s ready for the NBA and hopes the professionals are ready for him as well.

“I’m ready to start playing,” Robinson said. “I’m literally tired of everything. I want to get called and I want to start the season.”

He may have bold words from someone who hasn’t played a second of NBA basketball yet, but his mindset is something that should help him succeed quickly on the professional level. Alongside his physical talents, Robinson believes there is one thing that separates him from the rest of the pack.

“The mentality of not backing down from anybody,” Robinson said. “I feel you should never be afraid of your opponent. You respect them, but don’t respect them too much.”

In HOOPSWORLD’s most recent mock draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select Thomas Robinson with the second pick in the 2012 NBA draft. In all likelihood, Robinson would immediately step in as a starter from the beginning of the 2012-13 season and give the Bobcats a presence in the post to build around.