David robinson biography nba

Professional basketball player

At a Glance…

The Admiral in say publicly NBA

Robinson Wins the MVP

The Temporary halt of the Mountain

Sources

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

Sharptasting was the second child annotation Ambrose and Freda Robinson. Owing to Robinson’s father was in influence Navy, the family soon afflicted to Virginia Beach, Virginia ring Robinson excelled in school give orders to in most sports except sport. He was 5 feet, 9 inches tall in junior lanky school so he tried hoops, but he soon quit.

Ballplayer attended Osbourn Park High Institution in Manassas, Virginia just skin of Washington D.C., where Robinson’s father was working as diversity engineer after retiring from ethics Navy. By his senior epoch in high school he was 6 feet, 7 inches highpitched, but he had not false organized basketball. When the instructor added the tall senior purify the basketball team, Robinson condign all-area and all-district honors however generated little interest among institution basketball coaches.

Basketball was band his first priority anyway, extraction an education was. With upshot SAT score of 1,320 comprehend of a possible 1,600, Dramatist could go to any institution he chose, and he chose the United States Naval Academy.

Robinson entered the Naval Academy thump the fall of 1983. Keen only did Robinson have kind-hearted deal with the rigors signal the Naval Academy, but explicit had to learn to throw college basketball.

In his fledgling year he did not launch a single game and averaged 7.6 points and four rebounds a game. But the abide by year Robinson’s height and competence in basketball would change dramatically. Robinson grew to be 6 feet, 11 inches tall instruct began to dominate on position basketball court. Robinson led illustriousness Midshipman to a 26–6 document, a Colonial Conference Title, shaft into the second round admire the NCAA tournament for birth first time in 25 life.

Robinson averaged 23.6 points added 11.6 rebounds per game, most important blocked 128 shots. Robinson perfect so well that he at last allowed the thought of demeanour in the NBA to compose his mind. But after graduating from the academy, he would still owe the Navy quintuplet years of service. Because be more or less this long-term commitment he extremely considered transferring after his soph year, but he decided should stay when Navy officials hinted at reducing his obligation subsequently graduation.

In his junior year Actor led the Naval Academy come within reach of the Great Eight of prestige NCAA tournament and was denominated 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, Esteemed 6,1965 in Key West, FL; son of Ambrose (an engineer) and Freda Robinson; married reach children: David Jr. and Corey. Education: graduated from the Pooled States Naval Academy.

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

Awards: Associated Overcrowding All-American, 1985-86, and 1986-87; Pedagogue and Wooden Awards as magnanimity College Player of the Harvest, 1987; NBA Rookie of glory Year, 1989-90; NBA All-Defensive Chief Team, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1994-95, tell 1995-96; NBA Defensive Player outline the Year, 1991-92; All NBA First Team, 1990-91, 1991-92, nearby 1994-95; All NBA Second Order, 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 kind one of its 50 Reception 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 reap a game (14), most shots blocked in a season (207), and most career shots closed (372).

Robinson’s 207 blocks were more rejections than every plan in the NCAA except Metropolis, which won the national backing in 1986.

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

Dramatist graduated from the Naval School in the spring of 1987 and almost immediately he was the first player selected hamper the NBA draft by representation San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs drafted Robinson knowing that settle down would not be available undetermined the 1989-90 season. Robinson in the air to the Kings Bay Marine Submarine Base and worked by the same token an engineer.

He also assumed on the United States’ internal team. Robinson participated in decency Pan Am Games in 1987 and in the Olympic Disposeds in Seoul, South Korea, veer the U.S. team finished first-class disappointing third.

The Admiral in influence NBA

In May of 1989 Dramatist was discharged from the Naval forces. Robinson went from being a-one solitary engineer to the parade of the NBA and dexterous starring role in his mindless Nike commercial.

His impact wastage the Spurs was phenomenal. Significance year before San Antonio apprised a 21-61 record and unembellished Robinson’s first year the gang improved 35 games to disconnect at 56-26. Robinson ended rendering season tenth in the foil in scoring with a 24.3 average, second in rebounding averaging 12 per game, and 3rd in blocked shots with 3.89 per game.

Robinson was denominated to the All-Star Game, was All-NBA third team, and was the unanimous Rookie of dignity Year. In his first harvest Robinson led his team helter-skelter a Midwest Division title take into the second round lay into the playoffs.

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

Unwind not only made the All-Star team but was also cardinal team All-NBA and a associate of the All-Defensive team. Chemist was the only player walk heavily the league to finish class season in the top 10 in four statistical categories. Be active finished first in rebounding (13 a game) and second be pleased about blocked shots (3.90 a game).

Despite his individual achievements greatness Spurs were eliminated in illustriousness first round of the playoffs. Two years into his life, he seemed to be divulgence top of the world, on the other hand just the opposite was correctly. Robinson told Sports Illustrated perceive his state of mind later the 1991 season: “What amazed me was that I wasn’t happy.

Here I had nature I ever wanted—I had progressive from a good school, difficult to understand a good family behind uppermost, was doing things I not at any time 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 parsimony and arrogance.” Robinson’s solution was to commit more fully satisfy Christianity. He also became very settled marrying Valerie Hoggat, far-out woman he had met cranium 1988 while he was bringing in the Navy.

Robinson continued extract improve in his third stretch despite an injury that calculated him to miss the determined part of the season.

Chemist tore a ligament in government hand and missed all probity games after March 16. Dramatist became only the third performer in NBA history to put to death the season in the climbing ten in scoring (seventh), rebounding (fourth), blocked shots (first), steals (fifth), and field-goal percentage (seventh). For the third time Histrion made the All-Star team stomach was again named All-NBA principal team and the Defensive Competitor of the Year.

Robinson besides played in his second Athletics games winning the gold accolade in Barcelona with the greatest Dream Team. After the laceration the previous season, Robinson took on a massive workload spiky the 1992-93 season. He unnatural in all 82 Spurs merriment and broke the franchise under wraps for minutes played with 3,211.

The star center played repair than 40 minutes in 41 games. During this marathon time, Robinson was typically excellent, beginning for the Western Conference All-Star Team and for the generation averaging 23.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.22 blocks, and 1.55 steals per game. In the upright season the Spurs advanced come into contact with the Western Conference semi-finals in the past losing to the Phoenix Suns in six games.

Robinson Wins grandeur MVP

For the 1993-94 season, glory Spurs brought in rebounding get the impression Dennis Rodman, which allowed Dramatist to concentrate more on thud.

He responded by leading illustriousness NBA in scoring, averaging 29.8 points per game. Robinson averaged 40.5 minutes per game person in charge finished second in the poll for the league’s Most Salient Player (MVP). Robinson also feeling a fifth straight All-Star publication and led his team preserve a 55-27 record. Still nearby were whispers that the dim-witted, religious, young center who listened to classical music could not in a million years lead his team to air NBA championship.

Isiah Thomas, character Detroit Pistons Hall-of-Fame point minder, commented on this perception squash up an article in Sports Illustrated: “David Robinson has always bent nice, and their team has always been nice. But repeal you want a bunch warm guys who are nice conclude the time, or do boss around want to win championships? Supposing Dennis can keep David ireful, they could make it lack of the West.” Rodman would not help enough as decency Spurs lost in the head round of the playoffs.

Robinson seemed to answer his critics next to the 1994-95 season winning blue blood the gentry NBA’s MVP award.

Robinson showed the all-around quality of game averaging 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.23 blocks go rotten game. He led the Spurs to the best regular edible record in the NBA (62-20) and a number one bulb throughout the playoffs. San Antonio moved through the first couple rounds of the post-season, however lost in the conference semi-finals to the Houston Rockets sit the 1993-94 MVP Hakeem Olajuwan.

Robinson told Sports Illustrated recognize the turnaround from winning righteousness MVP award to being bounced from the playoffs: “I don’t think there’s any worse cheekiness for an athlete than harmony feel inadequate. These are birth times when you really keep to love the game, during the time that you realize you were sextet games away from a appellation, and now you have give explanation start over again.

I binding stayed home for a hardly any days. The kids give on your toes perspective.”

Despite his disappointment, in 1995-96 Robinson almost equaled his scholarship from the previous MVP assemblage. He made All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams and made description All-Star game for the one-seventh consecutive time. After a seven-year career filled with every amity of accolade except post-season come off, Robinson was finally bitten make wet the injury bug during loftiness 1996-97 season.

He missed sovereignty first 18 games with unembellished lower back strain, and exploitation after six games back rejoinder the lineup, Robinson broke jurisdiction foot and missed the sit of the season.

The 1997-98 time marked the arrival of highly-regarded rookie Tim Duncan. Robinson came back strong from his generation off and battled through neat as a pin concussion and nagging injuries skull both knees to be first name an All-Star and second gang All-NBA.

Despite missing some doggeds and a reduction in carrying-on time, Robinson still averaged double 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. As he approached his tenth season in probity league, Robinson had accomplished underrate as much as an patent player could accomplish-including being baptized one of the 50 unbeatable players in NBA history. Significant had homes in San Antonio and Aspen, Co.

and consummate family had now grown harm include two sons, David Jr. and Corey. Off the have a shot he had established the King Robinson Foundation, his own munificent organization, helped an entire advertise at a San Antonio high school pay for college, and assay active in feeding the wandering through a problem called “Feed My Sheep.” He also supported the Ruth Project that provides diapers and baby food vindicate needy families.

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

The Top of class Mountain

To win the championship, Ballplayer was asked to do intention he hadn’t done since sharp-tasting was a freshman at Navy—play a supporting role rather already be the man. The lecturer asked his former franchise competitor to focus more on depiction defensive end of the pursue and allow Duncan to thinking over as the scorer.

Chemist told Sports Illustrated’s Phil Actress that the adjustment was difficult: “It grinds on everything mass me that’s competitive—my ego, ill at ease pride, everything. I’ve always anachronistic the focus here. To engender a feeling of as though I’m not anymore is difficult, very difficult.

Irrational look at my numbers, settle down they look so strange. Unrestrainable used to laugh at goodness guys who averaged only 12 points and 10 rebounds. Unified could average 12 and 10. But now I find in the flesh in that position.” When prestige Spurs, which were one remind the favorites to win decency championship, started 6-8, many, containing Robinson himself, questioned the blueprint.

But the Spurs kept get the game plan and afterward stormed through the rest hint the season running up capital 42-6 record to the NBA finals. During the playoffs Histrion averaged 15.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.35 blocks, and 35.3 transactions 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, abstruse 3.0 blocks per game. Interpretation Spurs went out and bash the Knicks in five revelry and the man known pass for “The Admiral” led his side to the NBA Promised Disarray. But still he kept birth title in perspective as proscribed explained in an article sharptasting wrote with Phil Taylor for Sports Illustrated: “Everybody thinks decency trophy and the ring selling the ultimate things, but trade in valuable as they are, they’re just things.

They’ll wind loan on a shelf somewhere, on the contrary the experience of winning them, the journey, will be notwithstanding 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