David Robinson, known as The Admiral because of his service in the US Navy, is considered one of the greatest centers to ever play basketball. Robinson enrolled at the US Naval Academy in 1983, when he was not recruited by major basketball schools. While at Annapolis, he grew from 198 cm (6-6) to 216 cm (7-1), and became a force as a center. Robinson was the #1 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, chosen by the San Antonio Spurs. He had to fulfill a two-year service commitment, which was a Naval Academy compromise, and less than the usual five-year commitment required of Midshipmen.
Robinson played for 14 years in the NBA, all with the Spurs, helping them win NBA titles in 1999 and 2003. He was a 10-time NBA All-Star (1990-96, 1998, 2000-01), and was named All-NBA First team in 1991-92, and 1995-96. He was chosen as the NBA’s MVP in 1995 and was NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. Robinson was chosen NBA Rookie of the Year in 1990 and was given the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2001. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and his #50 was retired by the San Antonio Spurs.
During his NBA career, Robinson averaged 21.1 ppg, scoring 20,790 points, and averaged 10.6 rebounds/game. He led the NBA in scoring in 1993/94 with 29.8 ppg, in rebounding in 1990/91 with 13.0 rpg, and in blocked shots in 1991/92 with 4.49 bpg. In 1994, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Robinson scored 71 points, becoming only the fourth NBA player to score 70 or more points in a game, after Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and David Thompson (Kobe Bryant would later join this club, scoring 81 in a game in 2006). In February 1994, in a game against the Detroit Pistons, Robinson became only the fourth NBA player to record a quadruple-double, with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks.
Internationally, Robinson played on the 1988 US Olympic team that won a bronze medal, but he is best known for having been a member of the 1992 US Olympic Dream Team, the first time that NBA professionals had been allowed to compete at the Olympics. The Dream Team won the gold medal easily and Robinson again played at the Olympics in 1996, on Dream Team II, becoming the first American man to win three Olympic basketball medals when they also won gold. As a collegian, Robinson also won a silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 1986 World Championships.
The Admiral was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. He was chosen as a member of the US Olympic Hall of Fame in 2008. Both of those were individual honors, but in 2010 and 2009 respectively, the 1992 Dream Team was also chosen for those Halls of Fame.
