David Robinson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
David Robinson

Robinson in 2017
Personal information
Born	(1965-08-06) August 6, 1965 (age 59) Key West, Florida, U.S.
High school	Osbourn Park (Manassas, Virginia)
Listed height	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
College	Navy (1983–1987)
NBA Draft	1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Pro career	1989–2003
Career history
1989–2003	San Antonio Spurs
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA champion (1999, 2003) NBA Most Valuable Player (1995) 10× NBA All-Star (1990–1996, 1998, 2000, 2001) 4× All-NBA First Team (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996) 2× All-NBA Second Team (1994, 1998) 4× All-NBA Third Team (1990, 1993, 2000, 2001) NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1992) 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996) 4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1990, 1993, 1994, 1998) NBA Sportsmanship Award (2001) NBA scoring champion (1994) NBA rebounding leader (1991) NBA blocks leader (1992) NBA Rookie of the Year (1990) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1990) NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th) No. 50 retired by San Antonio Spurs Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (2003) National college player of the year (1987) Consensus first-team All-American (1987) Consensus second-team All-American (1986) NCAA rebounding leader (1986) 2× NCAA blocks leader (1986, 1987) 3× CAA Player of the Year (1985–1987) 3× First-team All-CAA (1985–1987) CAA All-Defensive Team (1987) CAA Rookie of the Year (1984) USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1986)
Career NBA statistics
Points	20,790 (21.1 ppg)
Rebounds	10,497 (10.6 rpg)
Blocks	2,954 (3.0 bpg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona Team competition Gold 1996 Atlanta Team competition Bronze 1988 Seoul Team competition World Championships Gold 1986 Spain Team competition Pan American Games Silver 1987 Indianapolis Team competition FIBA Americas Championship Gold 1992 Portland Men's basketball

David Maurice Robinson (born August 6, 1965) is a famous American former professional basketball player. He played for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1989 to 2003. People called him "the Admiral" because he served in the U.S. Navy.

Robinson was an amazing player. He was a 10-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA MVP award in 1995. He also helped the Spurs win two NBA championships (in 1999 and 2003). David Robinson won two Olympic Gold Medals with the U.S. basketball team (in 1992 and 1996). He is considered one of the greatest centers in basketball history.

Growing Up and School

David Robinson was born in Key West, Florida. His dad was in the U.S. Navy, so his family moved around a lot. They finally settled in Woodbridge, Virginia. David was a great student and good at most sports, but not basketball at first!

He went to Osbourn Park High School in Manassas, Virginia. For most of his childhood, David was an average height. When he was 16-17 years old, he was about 5 feet 9 inches tall. But in his last year of high school, he had a huge growth spurt and grew to 6 feet 6 inches!

Even though he hadn't played much organized basketball, his school coach added him to the team. David played well, but college basketball coaches didn't show much interest in him.

After high school, David scored very well on the SAT test. He decided to go to the United States Naval Academy. There, he studied mathematics and played on the basketball team. The Naval Academy had a height limit of 6 feet 6 inches for students. But David kept growing! By his second year, he was almost his adult height of 7 feet 1 inch. This meant he couldn't serve on Navy ships later on.

In 2011, Robinson earned a Master's degree from the University of the Incarnate Word. He wanted to learn more about how businesses work.

College Basketball and Navy Service

David Robinson is known as the best basketball player in the history of the Naval Academy. He chose jersey number 50 because his hero, Ralph Sampson, wore it. When he started college, he didn't expect to play in the NBA.

In his last two years, he became a top college player. He won the most important college basketball awards, the Naismith and Wooden Awards. In 1986, he led Navy's team almost to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament.

After graduating, he was chosen first overall in the 1987 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. However, the Spurs had to wait two years for him to join. This was because he had to complete his active duty service with the Navy.

Robinson served as a civil engineering officer at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. Even though his nickname was "Admiral," his actual rank was lieutenant (junior grade) when he finished his service.

Professional Career with the San Antonio Spurs (1989–2003)

Becoming a Star: Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player (1989–1994)

After his Navy service, David Robinson joined the San Antonio Spurs for the 1989–90 season. The Spurs had been a struggling team. But with Robinson, they had an amazing turnaround! They improved their record by 35 wins, which was a record at the time.

Robinson was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. He quickly became one of the best players in the league. In the 1991–92 season, he led the league in blocks and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

He also joined the famous 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team. This team won the gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics. In the 1993–94 season, Robinson scored an incredible 71 points in one game! This helped him win the NBA scoring title that year.

Winning MVP and Facing Challenges (1994–1998)

In 1995, David Robinson won the MVP award, showing he was the best player in the league. In 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Even with all his success, an NBA championship was still missing.

The Spurs often lost in the playoffs during these years. A tough loss came against Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. Robinson admitted that Olajuwon outplayed him in that series.

In the 1996–97 season, Robinson faced a big challenge when he got injured. He hurt his back and then broke his foot, missing most of the season. The Spurs had a very bad record that year. However, this injury turned out to be a good thing. Because they had one of the worst records, the Spurs got the first pick in the next NBA draft. They used it to choose Tim Duncan. Duncan would become the key player to help Robinson win a championship.

Championship Glory (1998–1999)

The 1998–99 season started late because of a player lockout. When the season finally began, it was shorter than usual. The Spurs, with David Robinson and Tim Duncan, had the best record in the NBA.

Robinson with the Spurs in 2000

In the playoffs, the Spurs were unstoppable. They reached the NBA Finals for the first time ever. The powerful duo of Robinson and Duncan, nicknamed "The Twin Towers," was too much for their opponents. The Spurs defeated the New York Knicks in five games, winning their first NBA title! Tim Duncan was named the Finals MVP.

Final Years and Second Championship (1999–2003)

As Robinson got older, he dealt with back problems. He announced that he would retire after the 2002–03 season.

On June 15, 2003, in his very last game, the Spurs won another NBA title! They beat the New Jersey Nets in Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals. Robinson scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in that final game. He and Tim Duncan were honored as Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year for 2003.

How David Robinson Played

David Robinson was an amazing center. He was very tall but also incredibly fast and mobile. He could handle the ball well for his size. On offense, he could dunk powerfully, and on defense, he blocked many shots. He also had a good mid-range jump shot.

Throughout his NBA career, Robinson averaged 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. He is one of only a few players to score over 20,000 points in the NBA. He is also one of only four players to ever record a quadruple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in four different stats in one game (points, rebounds, assists, and blocks). He did this on February 17, 1994, with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks!

Robinson also scored 71 points in a single game on April 24, 1994. Only a few other players in NBA history have scored 70 or more points in one game.

He was also known for his great relationship with Tim Duncan. It was rare for a superstar like Robinson to welcome and help a younger star like Duncan so much. He even changed his own role on the team to make room for Duncan. In 2022, The Athletic ranked David Robinson as the 20th greatest player in NBA history.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Playing for Team USA

Robinson at the free-throw line in 1992 as part of the “Dream Team”

David Robinson also played for the U.S. national basketball team. He won gold medals at the 1986 FIBA World Championship, and the 1992 Summer Olympics and 1996 Summer Olympics. He also won a silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games and a bronze medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Life After Basketball and Charity Work

After retiring from basketball, David Robinson continued to make a positive impact. In 2001, he started and funded the Carver Academy in San Antonio. This was a private school for children in the inner city. In 2012, it became a public charter school called IDEA Carver. Robinson is still very involved in the school's daily activities.

In 2008, Robinson co-founded Admiral Capital Group. This company invests in businesses that can also help society. His main goal was to create more financial support for The Carver Academy.

Robinson is also known for his many charitable efforts. In 1991, he promised a $2,000 scholarship to fifth-graders at a San Antonio school if they finished school and went to college. In 1998, he kept his promise and gave $8,000 to each student who completed the challenge.

In March 2003, the NBA renamed its award for outstanding charity work after him. Winners of the NBA's Community Assist Award receive the David Robinson Plaque. This award recognizes players for their amazing charitable efforts.

Personal Life

Robinson at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2014

David Robinson married Valerie Hoggatt in 1991. They have three sons: David Jr., Corey, and Justin. His son, Corey, played football at Notre Dame. His son, Justin, plays basketball and started his professional career in Montenegro.

David Robinson became a Christian in 1991.

Awards and Honors

NBA

• Two-time NBA Champion (1999, 2003)
• 1995 NBA MVP
• 1992 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
• 1990 NBA Rookie of the Year
• 10-time NBA All-Star
• One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History
• 1994 NBA Scoring Champion
• Number 50 retired by the San Antonio Spurs
• 2021 Elected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Team USA Basketball

• Two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner (1992, 1996)
• Olympic Bronze Medal winner (1988)
• Gold Medal at the 1986 FIBA World Championship

College (NCAA)

• 2012 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award

Halls of Fame

• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2009 for his career, 2010 as part of the "Dream Team")
• U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame (2008 individually, 2009 as part of the "Dream Team")
• FIBA Hall of Fame (2013 individually, 2017 as part of the "Dream Team")

Media

• 2003 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year