Blacktop Tales | Season 3 | Episode 5 | Paige Robinson | Broadway Fields
It's a familiar story – sport as the means by which someone stayed out of trouble. It kept them occupied, off the street, away from the wrong people. For Paige Robinson, though, basketball did something more: it kept trouble away from her.
Paige grew up with her sights set on an acting career, dropping swimming and taekwondo for acting classes at a young age. She attended Stagecoach and the Brit School in pursuit of success. With lessons only on Saturdays, Paige’s mum encouraged her to take up a sport – partly to stay healthy, but with a greater concern in mind: her safety.
South London is tough. Lewisham, sometimes known as Blue Borough, has long been one of the most notorious areas – with gangs from Catford, Deptford and New Cross locked in long-standing rivalries. When Paige's older brother got involved with a gang in Catford, the location of her secondary school in Deptford became a problem. Paige became a target. Standing 6'3" at just 13, she couldn’t exactly blend in. Staying occupied – and out of sight – became essential.
Having enjoyed basketball at school, her mum sent her to Lewisham Thunder, where her height and natural athleticism quickly drew the attention of a scout from Spain. Suddenly, she faced a choice: commit to the Brit School and pursue acting, or head to Spain – to the renowned Gran Canaria basketball academy – to chase an entirely different path.
The chance to be in another country, away from the danger at home, proved the best option. The opportunity to grow as a basketball player and experience life abroad at such a young age was a bonus. The new setting and language barrier brought plenty of challenges, but Paige spent three years (from 13 to 16) on a completely unexpected journey.
"We practised for hours, and I kept thinking, ‘Why am I even here? I don’t even love this game.’ At first, it was fun, but that faded fast—I didn’t know the language, I didn’t get the game. I cried a lot of tears in those early days. But by the end of the first season, with a trophy in my hand and the girls who were strangers now like sisters, I thought, ‘Okay… I kind of like this. I want to do it again.’"
"I kept thinking, Why am I even here? I don’t even love this game."
A minor injury and disappointing GCSE results brought Paige back to the UK at 16. Her time in London was brief, but long enough to glimpse the paths some of her South London peers had taken, and to recognise what basketball had provided for her. That return also connected her to Sam Neter and Hoopsfix, where she channelled her energy into helping grow the game in the UK. She played for the Brixton Topcats as well as Oaklands College in Hertfordshire—another cultural shift to add to her growing bank of experiences.
Basketball kept on giving. Paige went on to play two years at junior college in Texas before transferring to the mighty Florida Gators D1 NCAA program from 2018 to 2020, where she would earn a bachelors degree in sociology. Returning to the UK, she earned a master’s degree in Sports Management at the University of East London, while suiting up for her hometown London Lions. She also represented Team GB on multiple occasions.
"There’s always a special feeling when you put on a GB jersey. It’s bigger than your name—it’s your whole country. That feeling is just… sick. You’re part of a community that’s very rare."
We caught up on a shabby basketball court in Lewisham, not far from where she grew up—though a long way from where life has taken her. The court isn’t much use for hooping, with bent rims and quirky backboards, but the backdrop of tower blocks and DLR trains scurrying past makes it a solid spot for photos. For Paige, the setting feels symbolic: a reminder of change. Her focus now is on her 9–5, working with the UEFA Foundation and the Champions League to give kids incredible opportunities through football.
Her focus is also on modeling, acting and hosting opportunities, and creating basketball pathways for others. Past concerns fade now into the background. She reflects:
"In basketball and in life, it’s not about how you start—it’s about how you finish. I didn’t have the easiest start. My mum gave me everything she could, but in some sense, I was at a disadvantage. Look at me now. It’s all about mindset."
At Broadway Fields, Paige Robinson is wearing the Jordan 3 'Rare Air.' "These remind me of the early 2000s. Being reminded of our youth is something we all need." Available now in store and online at bouncewear.co.uk.
