David robinson biography nba

Professional basketball player

At a Glance…

The Admiral in influence NBA

Robinson Wins the MVP

The Apex of the Mountain

Sources

David Robinson, days NBA Hall-of-Famer and leader draw round the San Antonio Spurs, was born in Key West, Florida on August 6, 1965.

Crystal-clear was the second child put Ambrose and Freda Robinson. Because Robinson’s father was in authority Navy, the family soon laid hold of to Virginia Beach, Virginia in Robinson excelled in school point of view in most sports except hoops. He was 5 feet, 9 inches tall in junior towering absurd school so he tried hoops, but he soon quit.

Ballplayer attended Osbourn Park High Institute in Manassas, Virginia just improbable of Washington D.C., where Robinson’s father was working as play down engineer after retiring from class Navy. By his senior harvest in high school he was 6 feet, 7 inches fully fledged, but he had not high-sounding organized basketball. When the instructor added the tall senior anticipate the basketball team, Robinson justifiable all-area and all-district honors on the other hand generated little interest among academy basketball coaches.

Basketball was crowd together his first priority anyway, exploit an education was. With inventiveness SAT score of 1,320 comprehend of a possible 1,600, Chemist could go to any institution he chose, and he chose the United States Naval Academy.

Robinson entered the Naval Academy sieve the fall of 1983. Note only did Robinson have tip deal with the rigors uphold the Naval Academy, but dirt had to learn to ground college basketball.

In his fresher year he did not start the ball rolling a single game and averaged 7.6 points and four rebounds a game. But the press forward year Robinson’s height and steadiness in basketball would change dramatically. Robinson grew to be 6 feet, 11 inches tall flourishing began to dominate on goodness basketball court.

Robinson led rectitude Midshipman to a 26–6 create, a Colonial Conference Title, current into the second round give an account of the NCAA tournament for magnanimity first time in 25 Robinson averaged 23.6 points suggest 11.6 rebounds per game, swallow blocked 128 shots. Robinson culminate so well that he lastly allowed the thought of dispatch in the NBA to into his mind.

But after graduating from the academy, he would still owe the Navy cardinal years of service. Because custom this long-term commitment he really considered transferring after his soph year, but he decided make use of stay when Navy officials hinted at reducing his obligation stern graduation.

In his junior year Chemist led the Naval Academy say yes the Great Eight of high-mindedness NCAA tournament and was christian name to the Associated Press (AP) 1986 All-American Team.

Robinson averaged 22.7 points and 13 rebounds per game. But he actually dominated on the defensive end.

At a Glance…

Born David Robinson, Grand 6,1965 in Key West, FL; son of Ambrose (an engineer) and Freda Robinson; married engross children: David Jr. and Corey. Education: graduated from the Affiliated States Naval Academy.

Career: After give someone a jingle year of high school hoops Robinson attended the Naval Faculty and played basketball all duo years, 1983-84, 1986-87; the cardinal overall selection in the NBA draft of the San Antonio Spurs, 1987; served two and years at Kings Bay Oceanic Base, 1988-89; participated in nobility Olympic Games, 1988, 1992, 1996; starting center for the San Antonio Spurs, 1989-.

Awards: Associated Solicit advise All-American, 1985-86, and 1986-87; Educator and Wooden Awards as goodness College Player of the Twelvemonth, 1987; NBA Rookie of blue blood the gentry Year, 1989-90; NBA All-Defensive Eminent Team, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1994-95, wallet 1995-96; NBA Defensive Player disseminate the Year, 1991-92; All NBA First Team, 1990-91, 1991-92, abstruse 1994-95; All NBA Second Place, 1993-94, and 1997-98; All NBA Third Team, 1989-90, and 1992-93; NBA’s Most Valuable Player, 1994-95; Named by the league brand one of its 50 Delivery Players in NBA History, 1996; Eight-time NBA All-Star, 1990-98.

Addresses: Residence—San Antonio, TX; Mailing—c/o The San Antonio Spurs, 100 Montana, San Antonio, TX 78203-1031.

After three seasons Robinson had set NCAA annals for most shots blocked dull a game (14), most shots blocked in a season (207), and most career shots plugged (372).

Robinson’s 207 blocks were more rejections than every kit out in the NCAA except City, which won the national aid in 1986.

In his senior opportunity ripe, Robinson was named the single unanimous selection on the AP’s All-American Team and won decency Naismith Award as the Institute Player of the Year. Thespian graduated from the Naval Institute in the spring of 1987 and almost immediately he was the first player selected trudge the NBA draft by authority San Antonio Spurs.

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The Spurs drafted Robinson conspiratory that he would not break down available until the 1989-90 patch. Robinson reported to the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base soar worked as an engineer. Settle down also played on the Pooled States’ national team. Robinson participated in the Pan Am Entertainment in 1987 and in honesty Olympic Games in Seoul, Southward Korea, where the U.S.

band finished a disappointing third.

The Admiral in the NBA

In May get a hold 1989 Robinson was discharged let alone the Navy. Robinson went superior being a solitary engineer forbear the glamour of the NBA and a starring role sediment his own Nike commercial. Her highness impact on the Spurs was phenomenal. The year before San Antonio posted a 21-61 commit to paper and in Robinson’s first harvest the team improved 35 festival to finish at 56-26.

Thespian ended the season tenth amuse the league in scoring fretfulness a 24.3 average, second conduct yourself rebounding averaging 12 per amusement, and third in blocked shots with 3.89 per game. Thespian was named to the All-Star Game, was All-NBA third arrangement, and was the unanimous Enlist of the Year.

In first year Robinson led reward team to a Midwest Bisection title and into the beyond round of the playoffs.

The later season Robinson again played encompass all 82 games and bettered his statistics from the former year. He not only prefabricated the All-Star team but was also first team All-NBA opinion a member of the All-Defensive team.

Robinson was the solitary player in the league promote to finish the season in nobleness top 10 in four statistical categories. He finished first make the addition of rebounding (13 a game) soar second in blocked shots (3.90 a game). Despite his feature achievements the Spurs were knocked out in the first round out-and-out the playoffs.

Two years collide with his career, he seemed explicate be on top of glory world, but just the en face was true. Robinson told Diversions Illustrated about his state authentication mind after the 1991 season: “What surprised me was delay I wasn’t happy. Here Uncontrolled had everything I ever wanted—I had graduated from a moderately good school, had a good descent behind me, was doing personal property I never dreamed I’d do—and I wasn’t happy at ending.

I looked at myself, remarkable I didn’t like the individually I was becoming. I change I was so important. Berserk had selfishness and arrogance.” Robinson’s solution was to commit work up fully to Christianity. He very became more settled marrying Valerie Hoggat, a woman he abstruse met in 1988 while closure was serving in the Navy.

Robinson continued to improve in her majesty third season despite an hurt that forced him to desire the last part of rank season.

Robinson tore a helotry in his hand and incomprehensible all the games after Go on foot 16. Robinson became only righteousness third player in NBA novel to finish the season misrepresent the top ten in score (seventh), rebounding (fourth), blocked shots (first), steals (fifth), and field-goal percentage (seventh).

For the position time Robinson made the All-Star team and was again known as All-NBA first team and picture Defensive Player of the Best. Robinson also played in potentate second Olympic games winning glory gold medal in Barcelona be introduced to the first Dream Team. Rear 1 the injury the previous term, Robinson took on a ponderous consequential workload in the 1992-93 period.

He played in all 82 Spurs games and broke honesty franchise record for minutes contrived with 3,211. The star spirit played more than 40 merely in 41 games. During that marathon season, Robinson was habitually excellent, starting for the Affair of the heart Conference All-Star Team and meditate the year averaging 23.4 in order, 11.7 rebounds, 3.22 blocks, streak 1.55 steals per game.

Nervous tension the post season the Spurs advanced to the Western Colloquium semi-finals before losing to authority Phoenix Suns in six games.

Robinson Wins the MVP

For the 1993-94 season, the Spurs brought fragment rebounding sensation Dennis Rodman, which allowed Robinson to concentrate work up on offense.

He responded soak leading the NBA in achieve, averaging 29.8 points per project. Robinson averaged 40.5 minutes vogue game and finished second swindle the voting for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). Ballplayer also made a fifth useful All-Star appearance and led culminate team to a 55-27 commit to paper. Still there were whispers desert the intelligent, religious, young heart who listened to classical harmony could never lead his squad to an NBA championship.

Isiah Thomas, the Detroit Pistons Hall-of-Fame point guard, commented on that perception in an article captive Sports Illustrated: “David Robinson has always been nice, and their team has always been amiable. But do you want copperplate bunch of guys who instructions nice all the time, put on a pedestal do you want to impersonator championships?

If Dennis can check David angry, they could trade mark it out of the West.” Rodman would not help generous as the Spurs lost slender the first round of significance playoffs.

Robinson seemed to answer enthrone critics during the 1994-95 ready winning the NBA’s MVP confer. Robinson showed the all-around subtle of his game averaging 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.23 blocks per game.

He fixed the Spurs to the clobber regular season record in rectitude NBA (62-20) and a enumerate one seed throughout the playoffs. San Antonio moved through significance first two rounds of nobleness post-season, but lost in description conference semi-finals to the Politico Rockets and the 1993-94 Participant Hakeem Olajuwan. Robinson told Actions Illustrated about the turnaround let alone winning the MVP award abide by being bounced from the playoffs: “I don’t think there’s absurd worse feeling for an dispatch bearer than to feel inadequate.

These are the times when command really have to love prestige game, when you realize boss about were six games away shun a title, and now order around have to start over homecoming. I just stayed home presage a few days. The sons give you perspective.”

Despite his hold-up, in 1995-96 Robinson almost unmatched his accomplishments from the anterior MVP year.

He made All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams keep from made the All-Star game beseech the seventh consecutive time. Afterward a seven-year career filled gather every sort of accolade coat post-season success, Robinson was at long last bitten by the injury insect during the 1996-97 season. No problem missed his first 18 jollity with a lower back overtax, and then after six bolds back in the lineup, Chemist broke his foot and overlook the rest of the season.

The 1997-98 season marked the delivery of highly-regarded rookie Tim Dancer.

Robinson came back strong hit upon his year off and battled through a concussion and continual injuries in both knees hitch be named an All-Star squeeze second team All-NBA. Despite short some games and a change in playing time, Robinson unmoving averaged over 20 points stall 10 rebounds per game. Similarly he approached his tenth spell 1 in the league, Robinson abstruse accomplished about as much primate an individual player could accomplish-including being named one of character 50 greatest players in NBA history.

He had homes keep San Antonio and Aspen, Head. and his family had at the present time grown to include two reading, David Jr. and Corey. Have a nap the court he had conventional the David Robinson Foundation, monarch own charitable organization, helped slight entire grade at a San Antonio school pay for institution, and is active in alimentation the homeless through a complication called “Feed My Sheep.” Grace also founded the Ruth Design that provides diapers and babe in arms food for needy families.

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In short, he had impression it all—except win a championship.

The Top of the Mountain

To pretend to be the championship, Robinson was deliberately to do something he hadn’t done since he was span freshman at Navy—play a manner role rather than be say publicly man. The coach asked culminate former franchise player to memorable part more on the defensive get of the court and admit Duncan to take over since the scorer.

Robinson told Diversions Illustrated’s Phil Taylor that dignity adjustment was difficult: “It grinds on everything in me that’s competitive—my ego, my pride, allay. I’ve always been the business here. To feel as shuffle through I’m not anymore is incomprehensible, very difficult. I look lips my numbers, and they flick through so strange.

I used make somebody's acquaintance laugh at the guys who averaged only 12 points allow 10 rebounds. Anybody could standard in the main 12 and 10. But just now I find myself in saunter position.” When the Spurs, which were one of the favorites to win the championship, begun 6-8, many, including Robinson personally, questioned the strategy. But character Spurs kept to the endeavour plan and then stormed broadcast the rest of the occasion running up a 42-6 write down to the NBA finals.

All along the playoffs Robinson averaged 15.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.35 blocks, and 35.3 minutes per play. In the NBA finals break the rules the New York Knicks, Actor pushed his playoff numbers regular higher. He averaged 16.6 grade, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game. The Spurs went out and beat the Knicks in five games and authority man known as “The Admiral” led his team to integrity NBA Promised Land.

But pull off he kept the title unsavory perspective as he explained get an article he wrote come together Phil Taylor of Sports Illustrated: “Everybody thinks the trophy bear the ring are the eventual things, but as valuable pass for they are, they’re just nonconforming. They’ll wind up on well-ordered shelf somewhere, but the approach of winning them, the cruise, will be right here trudge my heart forever.”

Sources

Books

Miller, Dawn M., David Robinson: Backboard Admiral (The Achievers).

Lerner Publications Co. : N.Y., 1991.

Periodicals

Sports Illustrated, March 7, 1994; April 26, 1996; Apr 12, 1999; July 13, 1999.

Other

Additional information for this profile was obtained from http://nba.com/playerfile/bio/david_robinson.html.

—Michael J. Watkins