The leader, the legacy: Big Rob Energy
AMES — Following what is set to be his final year with the Cyclones, Robert Jones will leave behind a legacy bigger than his nickname as a hard worker, loving teammate and a fighter of adversity.
It has been a long road for the fifth-year senior who is looking to add another trip to the NCAA Tournament under his belt with Iowa State.
During his collegiate career, Jones has seen it all. Whether it was rejection, battling through injuries, finding a new home or a revolving door as a starter, the path for the Minnesota native has had its bumps.
But through it all, he has stuck to his roots and made a name for himself that Ames will never forget along with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Before he was “Big Rob Energy,” Jones was a three-star recruit out of Prior Lake High School trying to make a name for himself at the University of Denver, but the road to being a Pioneer was not exactly his first choice.
Earlier in his recruitment process, he tried to commit to Xavier but was told he “couldn’t come” and saw Denver as his next best option.
Despite Denver’s losing record at the end of the year, he emerged as a young forward and capped off his freshman campaign with a season-high 21 points against North Dakota State.
His sophomore year was a whole different story. Going through the pandemic, fracturing his tibia at the start of conference play and dealing with another losing season, everything began to pile up.
“It was horrible,” Jones said. “Going through the COVID protocols while also trying to have a basketball team was impossible. We didn’t have any gym time, no extra gym time, no weight room, no locker room, no access, no extra work, no food either.”
Due to his injury and having to follow COVID protocols, Jones said he lost around 20 pounds that season. Denver finished the season 2-19, and head coach Rodney Billups was fired.
Jones had not seen real success at the collegiate level yet and knew it was time for a change. After meeting with the incoming head coach at the time, T.J. Otzelberger, and his staff and learning about the culture that he came to fall in love with, his decision became clear.
Jones was the start of something new at Iowa State, and he helped turn the program around in one season under Otzelberger’s first year as head coach. The incoming junior forward was one of seven transfers to join Otzelberger and his staff at Iowa State, a team that had gone 2-22 and winless in the Big 12 the year prior.
“I feel like a lot of us just wanted a fresh start,” former teammate Aljaž Kunc said. “I feel like we overlooked the fact that the last two seasons were bad.”
Kunc was Jones’ roommate during his first two years at Iowa State and saw firsthand the work ethic and competitiveness once he got on campus. Kunc always saw the chip that Jones had on his shoulder coming from a mid-major program, which translated into the dedication he put into the team.
Kunc remembered times when he was getting his treatment done after his lifts and he heard echoes of Jones throughout the facility.
“All you can hear from across the door is Rob,” Kunc said. “Screaming, yelling and pumping that weight and pushing everybody.”
Jones did not just push his teammates in the weight room; it was everywhere. The fact that a 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward was winning sprints on the soccer field made his teammates work even harder.
“I feel like Rob is definitely a good example of showing others how he handles himself when it comes to work, when it comes to treatment and just doing stuff to be successful,” Kunc said.
It was in his first year at Iowa State that Jones learned how to become a true big man. He had all the pieces to do so, especially the mentality when it came to putting in the work.
But he did not change anything. Jones stayed true to himself and let his personality embrace his style of play.
“Just got to be physical and talk the most and be the loudest on the court and be able to take everybody through anything at any time,” Jones said.
Described by Kunc as “no days off Rob,” Jones was an immediate spark to the team during the early morning workouts. When it was 7 a.m. and everyone walked in sleepy, Jones was the one to bring the locker room together and get everyone locked in.
“[Jones] is a hard-working guy. He has always been like that,” former teammate Gabe Kalscheur said.
The loudness and hard work that Jones put in earned him the nickname “Big Rob Energy” which eventually turned into an NIL deal with Cyclone Fanatic and is still how he is introduced on the PA system at Hilton.
But he doesn’t become “Big Rob” when he touches the court; it is his lifestyle.
“He is just a chill-ass dude,” Kunc said. “He’s ‘Big Rob’ off the court as well just because he is a big presence.”
Outside of his more well-known presence on the court, Jones has taken on many roles over his three years at Iowa State. Each season, he started the year coming off the bench but has always seen an increase in playing time.
Whether it has been stepping up for an injured teammate or just needing a switch in the starting lineup, Jones has been the guy that Otzelberger constantly called on.
“I feel like that’s one of the best characteristics of Big Rob is being able to embrace the role, and whatever that role is, he is just always going to go out and give 100%,” Kunc said.
Jones developed a leadership role throughout his second year with the Cyclones and looked back on the great mentors he had along the way to guide him for what was to come. His willingness to be a leader showed both on and off the court toward the end of the 2021-22 season and was a stepping stone for how he would end his career at Iowa State.
“I saw it through the way he carried himself,” Kalscheur said. “He is able to continue to stay and work. Off the court too he did a great job of making sure we were able to do stuff off the court too and connect.”
“He is a no-questions-asked dude. If you need him to be that leader and be vocal, he is going to do that for you,” Kunc said.
Veterans Izaiah Brockington, George Conditt IV and Osun Osunniyi were all guys who taught Jones what it was like to be a leader.
Especially with Jones being so familiar with Otzelberger’s system and expectations, he knew that when he returned for one more year, he would need to step up as a leader.
“I knew it would be very important to hold that responsibility [to] show my teammates that ‘Hey, I’m that leader. I’m the one you can look at to know right from wrong. I’ll be here to support you and tear you down in a positive way as well,’” Jones said.
With nine new players joining the Cyclones in the 2023-24 season, Jones’ role as a leader became even more important. He couldn’t just come in as the veteran who knew everything and act like a leader. He needed to make his teammates believe he was worth following.
Jones learned from Brockington that to be a leader, he needed to bring the same juice and energy every day to earn the trust of his teammates.
“You can be a leader and say all that leadership stuff, but if no one behind you trusts what you’re saying, then your value as a leader goes way down,” Jones said.
Jones credits his ability to keep going to the environment he was raised in. With two parents who played collegiate basketball and two younger brothers, it was hard not to be competitive growing up.
The countless pickup games, pickleball matches and family game nights are what gave him the competitive edge that he still holds on and off the court. That edge is what has made him who he is today and keeps him working every single day.
“Just knowing that I’m strong enough to fight through most obstacles in life and proving to myself that I’m able to do that is why I keep going,” Jones said.
Aside from being the place where he received his degree, Iowa State will always be a place where Jones shares lifetime memories and relationships. Just as equally unforgettable is the path that got him where he is now.
Some may look back at Jones’ stats and underestimate his impact during his three seasons at Iowa State. But what fans cannot overlook is the amount of love that he has shown toward Cyclone Nation since stepping on campus in 2021.
Take it from Otzelberger himself—no one loves being a Cyclone more than “Big Rob.”
“That jersey means a lot to him; being a Cyclone means a whole bunch to him,” Otzelberger said. “I think [Jones], by many, has been undervalued for a long time, and he is showing everyone that hard work every day pays off.”
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Susan Fraser | Mar 7, 2024 at 2:06 pm
Great article about a great Cyclone !
What is down the road for Big Rob Energy?