CHALMETTE, La (WVUE) – In blazing Louisiana heat in late June, thousands of people in St. Bernard Parish set up chairs and blankets along Judge Perez Drive to welcome NBA champion Mitchell Robinson, who paraded down the street atop a float.
Robinson, a center for the New York Knicks, mentioned he wanted a parade in Chalmette mere minutes after his team won this year’s NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs. Robinson played two years of basketball at Chalmette High School and built a fan base across St. Bernard Parish that remained strong after he graduated in 2017.
For the past eight years, Robinson has been a Knick, and that growing fan base in south Louisiana said it felt joy and pride seeing him finally reach the top of the basketball world.
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The Thursday parade started at the former Big Lots parking lot and ended at Chalmette High School.
Lizbeth Montelongo was one of many who waited for Robinson to parade toward the school. She wore a balloon crown that she made at her nearby business, Balloons Creations by Liz, and was one of many store owners who decorated their storefronts during Robinson’s playoff run this year.
“We feel so proud of him. I talked to a lot of people in the community and they say he is one of the biggest (icons) in the parish and we are so happy that now we are going to be back on the map,” Montelongo said.
Other fans, including Amber Stogner, dressed for the parade to honor Robinson’s career with the Knicks and his time as a Chalmette High Owl. Stogner and her family wore shirts in the Knicks’ signature blue and orange, featuring an owl at the center of the logo.
She said Robinson has been a good role model for young people through his character, both on and off the court.
“Having him here, with his home town being the parish, everybody here looks up to him and the kids look up to him and want to be like him,” Stogner said.
Before the parade, Robinson stopped by his summer basketball camp at the Val Riess Complex. St. Bernard Councilman Ryan Randall was there with other council members and parish officials to present Robinson with a proclamation.
Randall said seeing the NBA player take time to interact with campers and fans throughout the day is why he deserves so much praise from the community.
“He makes it a point to always come back home and support the local community which is incredible. I was there watching him and was content. He stayed at his camp this evening until he signed every last person’s autograph. I thought that was pretty awesome,” he said.
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