By Jimmy Robertson
BLACKSBURG – Many former athletes who hold schools records feel sudden pangs of regret at seeing those records broken, especially when they've held them for a significant period of time.
Not Bimbo Coles.
"It doesn't bother me," he said.
The former Virginia Tech point guard – and maybe the greatest player in program history – saw one of his records erased this past Saturday night when Justin Robinson moved pass Coles into the top spot for career assists at Tech. Robinson's eight assists against Syracuse gave him 548 for his career, enabling to break Coles' school record of 547 set from 1986-90.
"Records are made to be broken," Coles said during a phone interview last week. "That's why they're records. They're for the fans and alumni.
"I honestly never played for any record. I competed every second I was on the floor, and I was trying to give my team every chance to win. I was just fortunate that the records fell my way, but I'm glad he broke it. I think it shows the players that are coming through the program now and the quality of men that they are. It's great for Virginia Tech basketball."
Coles keeps up with Virginia Tech closely these days and often returns to campus. After playing 14 seasons in the NBA with five different teams and then coaching two seasons with the Miami Heat from 2004-06, he decided to get out of a profession that called for him to be on the road so much and away from his wife and kids. He and his family ultimately settled in his hometown of Lewisburg, West Virginia – roughly 90 minutes from the Tech campus.
Today, he serves as the head boys basketball coach at his old high school – Greenbrier East High – and he co-owns a Crossfit facility there in Lewisburg. In 2017, the Tech athletics department hired Coles and former football standout André Davis as directors of student-athlete support and community engagement. These roles bring them both back to campus and to various athletics department functions throughout the state to support athletics department initiatives.
Thus, Coles has met Robinson a few times over the past couple of seasons, and like most, he comes away impressed with Robinson every time.
"He's a fantastic person," Coles said. "Great character. Highly competitive. He's respectful, and he understands the importance of the history of the program. He's the type of person who will come up and shake your hand and ask how you're doing. Just a great person."
Robinson certainly has done his best to challenge many of Coles' records over the past four years. Earlier this season, Robinson snapped Coles' single-game record for assists, handing out 13 in the Hokies' win over Central Connecticut State.
Coles actually had shared the record with Dave Sensibaugh, Troy Manns, and Robinson, who handed out 12 in the Hokies' win at Boston College a year ago. Seeing Robinson break that record brought back some memories for Coles, who tied the mark when he dished out 12 assists in the Hokies' 1987 loss at Missouri.
Coles remembers little about that game. He remembers more about the trip – one in which a snowstorm forced a one-day postponement of the game and saw the Hokies spend time in three different hotels. Most of the travel party never even received their luggage.
"I remember how rude their student section was," Coles said. "I had been to West Virginia and played in front of 15,000 fans, and they were all mad at me for not going there, but the students at Missouri were on a different level. I think we lost [the Hokies did, 105-96]. I don't remember the game, but after he [Robinson] broke that record, I had some flashbacks."
Coles has enjoyed watching Robinson over the past three-plus seasons. In addition to respecting Robinson as a person, he appreciates and respects the way Robinson plays the game. Though not as prolific a scorer as Coles, who averaged more than 25 points per game each of his final two seasons at Tech, Robinson certainly possesses the ability to score, as evidenced by his 35-point outing against Syracuse. In fact, he could break the 1,500-point plateau by the end of the season.
Coles also likes Robinson's demeanor and his willingness to execute a point guard's primary role – to take care of the basketball and distribute it to the proper people. Coles accounted for more than 3,300 assists during his NBA career, and he likes seeing today's players getting their teammates involved into a game.
"You have to see the play before it happens," Coles said. "You have to be a step ahead, and then you have to put the ball in a spot where the shooters can get it and score. It's a special talent."
Coles' name won't exactly be erased from the Tech record book despite Robinson's latest exploits. He still stands as the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,484 points and the only player at Tech ever to average more than 20 points per game in his career (21.6). He also holds the record for most 30-point games and most 40-point games and shares the record for most 50-point games – he and Allan Bristow are the only two players in program history to do that.
Coles' scoring ability may never be equaled here in Blacksburg. Only one player has scored more than 2,000 points since Coles broke Dell Curry's career scoring record almost 30 years ago. Malcolm Delaney scored 2,255 points from 2007-11 – 229 points fewer than Coles.
Such accomplishments endeared him to Tech fans – and still do to this day. But those accolades are losing some of their luster with a certain member of his family who wants to come to one of the Hokies' games in the near future.
"We'll get down there because my son loves Justin," Coles said. "He's loved him since day 1, and I understand why. Justin's so respectful. I knew he was going to be a great player, and he's certainly held up his end."
