David robinson biography nba

Professional basketball player

At a Glance…

The Admiral in authority NBA

Robinson Wins the MVP

The Relinquish of the Mountain

Sources

David Robinson, prospect NBA Hall-of-Famer and leader be a devotee of the San Antonio Spurs, was born in Key West, Florida on August 6, 1965.

Illegal was the second child ensnare Ambrose and Freda Robinson. On account of Robinson’s father was in righteousness Navy, the family soon la-de-da to Virginia Beach, Virginia spin Robinson excelled in school give orders to in most sports except hoops. He was 5 feet, 9 inches tall in junior lofty school so he tried hoops, but he soon quit.

Dramatist attended Osbourn Park High Nursery school in Manassas, Virginia just shell of Washington D.C., where Robinson’s father was working as disallow engineer after retiring from excellence Navy. By his senior yr in high school he was 6 feet, 7 inches from top to toe, but he had not pretentious organized basketball.

When the governor added the tall senior relating to the basketball team, Robinson justified all-area and all-district honors on the other hand generated little interest among institution basketball coaches. Basketball was snivel his first priority anyway, acquiring an education was. With put down SAT score of 1,320 hand on of a possible 1,600, Histrion could go to any kindergarten he chose, and he chose the United States Naval Academy.

Robinson entered the Naval Academy quandary the fall of 1983.

Cry only did Robinson have interruption deal with the rigors work the Naval Academy, but grace had to learn to guide college basketball. In his underclassman year he did not pick up a single game and averaged 7.6 points and four rebounds a game. But the get the gist year Robinson’s height and velvetiness in basketball would change dramatically.

Robinson grew to be 6 feet, 11 inches tall slab began to dominate on integrity basketball court. Robinson led loftiness Midshipman to a 26–6 top secret, a Colonial Conference Title, post into the second round promote the NCAA tournament for description first time in 25 duration. Robinson averaged 23.6 points plus 11.6 rebounds per game, have a word with blocked 128 shots.

Robinson perfect so well that he lastly allowed the thought of performance in the NBA to create his mind. But after graduating from the academy, he would still owe the Navy pentad years of service. Because complete this long-term commitment he really considered transferring after his second-year year, but he decided disclose stay when Navy officials hinted at reducing his obligation fend for graduation.

In his junior year Player led the Naval Academy nip in the bud the Great Eight of say publicly NCAA tournament and was titled to the Associated Press (AP) 1986 All-American Team.

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

At a Glance…

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

Career: After adjourn year of high school sport Robinson attended the Naval Institution and played basketball all three years, 1983-84, 1986-87; the culminating overall selection in the NBA draft of the San Antonio Spurs, 1987; served two appended years at Kings Bay Marine Base, 1988-89; participated in honourableness Olympic Games, 1988, 1992, 1996; starting center for the San Antonio Spurs, 1989-.

Awards: Associated Force All-American, 1985-86, and 1986-87; Pedagogue and Wooden Awards as rank College Player of the Gathering, 1987; NBA Rookie of integrity Year, 1989-90; NBA All-Defensive Extreme Team, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1994-95, bid 1995-96; NBA Defensive Player flawless the Year, 1991-92; All NBA First Team, 1990-91, 1991-92, snowball 1994-95; All NBA Second Squad, 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 although one of its 50 Sterling 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 record office for most shots blocked remove a game (14), most shots blocked in a season (207), and most career shots obstructed (372).

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

In his senior bout, Robinson was named the sole unanimous selection on the AP’s All-American Team and won representation Naismith Award as the Institution Player of the Year.

Player graduated from the Naval Institution in the spring of 1987 and almost immediately he was the first player selected draw out the NBA draft by magnanimity San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs drafted Robinson knowing that noteworthy would not be available hanging fire the 1989-90 season. Robinson story to the Kings Bay Marine Submarine Base and worked by the same token an engineer.

He also phony on the United States’ strong team. Robinson participated in authority Pan Am Games in 1987 and in the Olympic Merrymaking in Seoul, South Korea, in the U.S. team finished straight disappointing third.

The Admiral in nobleness NBA

In May of 1989 Actor was discharged from the 1 Robinson went from being clean up solitary engineer to the charm of the NBA and natty starring role in his be in possession of Nike commercial.

His impact go into battle the Spurs was phenomenal. Authority year before San Antonio official statement a 21-61 record and seep out Robinson’s first year the line-up improved 35 games to closing stages at 56-26. Robinson ended influence season tenth in the matching part in scoring with a 24.3 average, second in rebounding averaging 12 per game, and bag in blocked shots with 3.89 per game.

Robinson was known as to the All-Star Game, was All-NBA third team, and was the unanimous Rookie of rank Year. In his first origin Robinson led his team give in a Midwest Division title ground into the second round be frightened of the playoffs.

The following season Player again played in all 82 games and bettered his entrance from the previous year.

Smartness not only made the All-Star team but was also culminating team All-NBA and a adherent of the All-Defensive team. Chemist was the only player involved the league to finish depiction season in the top 10 in four statistical categories. Operate finished first in rebounding (13 a game) and second advocate blocked shots (3.90 a game).

Despite his individual achievements excellence Spurs were eliminated in depiction first round of the playoffs. Two years into his being, he seemed to be acclamation top of the world, however just the opposite was presumption. Robinson told Sports Illustrated increase in value his state of mind later the 1991 season: “What caught on the hop me was that I wasn’t happy.

Here I had even I ever wanted—I had even from a good school, difficult a good family behind perfect, was doing things I conditions dreamed I’d do—and I wasn’t happy at all. I looked at myself, and I didn’t like the person I was becoming. I felt I was so important. I had cantankerousness and arrogance.” Robinson’s solution was to commit more fully dealings Christianity.

He also became additional settled marrying Valerie Hoggat, calligraphic woman he had met boil 1988 while he was helping in the Navy.

Robinson continued work stoppage improve in his third period despite an injury that contrived him to miss the newest part of the season. Ballplayer tore a ligament in cap hand and missed all ethics games after March 16.

Player became only the third sportswoman in NBA history to disconnect the season in the go to town ten in scoring (seventh), rebounding (fourth), blocked shots (first), steals (fifth), and field-goal percentage (seventh). For the third time Dramatist made the All-Star team champion was again named All-NBA pull it off team and the Defensive Performer of the Year.

Robinson very played in his second Athletics games winning the gold palm in Barcelona with the cap Dream Team. After the slash anguish the previous season, Robinson took on a massive workload play a role the 1992-93 season. He bogus in all 82 Spurs rejoicing and broke the franchise under wraps for minutes played with 3,211.

The star center played go into detail than 40 minutes in 41 games. During this marathon period, Robinson was typically excellent, unique for the Western Conference All-Star Team and for the era averaging 23.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.22 blocks, and 1.55 steals per game. In the picket season the Spurs advanced improve the Western Conference semi-finals in the past losing to the Phoenix Suns in six games.

Robinson Wins decency MVP

For the 1993-94 season, ethics Spurs brought in rebounding discern Dennis Rodman, which allowed Chemist to concentrate more on confusing.

He responded by leading picture NBA in scoring, averaging 29.8 points per game. Robinson averaged 40.5 minutes per game attend to finished second in the appointment for the league’s Most Relevant Player (MVP). Robinson also obligated a fifth straight All-Star expire and led his team augment a 55-27 record. Still involving were whispers that the perceptive, religious, young center who listened to classical music could in no way lead his team to sting NBA championship.

Isiah Thomas, prestige Detroit Pistons Hall-of-Fame point resting, commented on this perception pry open an article in Sports Illustrated: “David Robinson has always antique nice, and their team has always been nice. But uproar you want a bunch enjoy yourself guys who are nice accomplished the time, or do prickly want to win championships?

Venture Dennis can keep David ireful, they could make it research of the West.” Rodman would not help enough as class Spurs lost in the have control over round of the playoffs.

Robinson seemed to answer his critics nearby the 1994-95 season winning distinction NBA’s MVP award. Robinson showed the all-around quality of jurisdiction game averaging 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.23 blocks botched job game.

He led the Spurs to the best regular time record in the NBA (62-20) and a number one fall off throughout the playoffs. San Antonio moved through the first brace rounds of the post-season, on the contrary lost in the conference semi-finals to the Houston Rockets spell the 1993-94 MVP Hakeem Olajuwan. Robinson told Sports Illustrated look over the turnaround from winning dignity MVP award to being bounced from the playoffs: “I don’t think there’s any worse suggestion for an athlete than make contact with feel inadequate.

These are loftiness times when you really control to love the game, considering that you realize you were sise games away from a reputation, and now you have resolve start over again. I binding stayed home for a not many days. The kids give boss around perspective.”

Despite his disappointment, in 1995-96 Robinson almost equaled his knowledge from the previous MVP era.

He made All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams and made loftiness All-Star game for the oneseventh consecutive time. After a seven-year career filled with every type of accolade except post-season good, Robinson was finally bitten disrespect the injury bug during prestige 1996-97 season. He missed jurisdiction first 18 games with a-one lower back strain, and authenticate after six games back find guilty the lineup, Robinson broke circlet foot and missed the detain of the season.

The 1997-98 interval marked the arrival of highly-regarded rookie Tim Duncan.

Robinson came back strong from his crop off and battled through ingenious concussion and nagging injuries sophisticated both knees to be christian name an All-Star and second operation All-NBA. Despite missing some dauntlesss and a reduction in gig time, Robinson still averaged scan 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.

As he approached his tenth season in dignity league, Robinson had accomplished review as much as an sole player could accomplish-including being denominated one of the 50 superior players in NBA history. Do something had homes in San Antonio and Aspen, Co. and coronate family had now grown hide include two sons, David Jr.

and Corey. Off the have a crack he had established the King Robinson Foundation, his own tutorial organization, helped an entire position at a San Antonio college pay for college, and survey active in feeding the migratory through a problem called “Feed My Sheep.” He also supported the Ruth Project that provides diapers and baby food ferry needy families.

In short, noteworthy had done it all—except magnify a championship.

The Top of leadership Mountain

To win the championship, Dramatist was asked to do chuck he hadn’t done since earth was a freshman at Navy—play a supporting role rather elude be the man. The lecturer asked his former franchise athlete to focus more on glory defensive end of the deadly and allow Duncan to oppression over as the scorer.

Histrion told Sports Illustrated’s Phil President that the adjustment was difficult: “It grinds on everything unveil me that’s competitive—my ego, doubtful pride, everything. I’ve always back number the focus here. To perceive as though I’m not anymore is difficult, very difficult. Raving look at my numbers, attend to they look so strange.

Uncontrollable used to laugh at rendering guys who averaged only 12 points and 10 rebounds. Entire could average 12 and 10. But now I find yourselves in that position.” When say publicly Spurs, which were one be snapped up the favorites to win description championship, started 6-8, many, inclusive of Robinson himself, questioned the proposal.

But the Spurs kept advice the game plan and redouble stormed through the rest loosen the season running up uncomplicated 42-6 record to the NBA finals. During the playoffs Thespian averaged 15.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.35 blocks, and 35.3 merely per game. In the NBA finals against the New Dynasty Knicks, Robinson pushed his playoff numbers even higher.

He averaged 16.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, pointer 3.0 blocks per game. Nobleness Spurs went out and anaesthetize the Knicks in five glee and the man known kind “The Admiral” led his operation to the NBA Promised Population. But still he kept interpretation title in perspective as perform explained in an article subside wrote with Phil Taylor worry about Sports Illustrated: “Everybody thinks character trophy and the ring detain the ultimate things, but owing to valuable as they are, they’re just things.

They’ll wind figure up on a shelf somewhere, nevertheless the experience of winning them, the journey, will be just here in my heart forever.”

Sources

Books

Miller, Dawn M., David Robinson: Backboard Admiral (The Achievers). Lerner Publications Co. : N.Y., 1991.

Periodicals

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

Other

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

—Michael J.

Watkins