For Robert Hart, the pursuit of becoming the world’s top pool player is a serious endeavor.

However, this ambition pales in comparison to the obstacles he’s already overcome. Robert, the brother of comedian and Hollywood star Kevin Hart, was once more likely to be known for his troubled past involving gangs and drᴜg lords than for any positive achievements.

At 51, Robert has fought his way back from severe drᴜg addiction and family estrangement, after years of street troubles in Philadelphia led to a fractured relationship with his younger brother, Kevin. Their father, Henry, also struggled with a cocɑine addiction and spent time in prison, while their mother, Nicky, severed ties with Robert after he attempted to steɑl money from an elderly woman.

Today, Robert has turned his life around and is now a leading figure on the World Nineball Tour.

He plays a key role in the Matchroom Pool venture, with Eddie and Barry Hearn aiming to replicate their success in pool and snooker on a global scale. Robert’s aspirations to become the world’s best pool player are bolstered by a stable personal life; he is now sober and reconciled with his family.

Kevin Hart highlighted their renewed relationship in his 2019 Netflix documentary series “Don’t F**k This Up,” noting, “My mum gave my brother a fair amount of freedom. Any mistakes you could make as a teenager, he made,” he said. “And then there was two. It was just me and my mum. My mum thought if she kept me off the streets, I wouldn’t end up like him. We weren’t close when we were younger, but as time passed, we became closer. Now, he’s not just my brother, but my best friend.”

The only “addiction” plaguing Robert now is his drive to succeed at his next major event, the UK Open Pool Championship at London’s Copper Box Arena on May 30.

Regardless of how his pool career unfolds, Robert Hart has already triumphed over some of the most formidable challenges life has thrown his way.