David M. Robinson

Please follow short biography below with some videos.

By Kori Elis
San Antonio Dispatch

The Early Years:
David Maurice Robinson was born August 6, 1965 in Key West Florida. Son of a Navy Officer, Robinson attended high school in Woodbridge, Virginia at Osbourn Park High School.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Robinson played only one year of high school basketball. The teenager was a gifted athlete and also a gifted student. He scored a 1320 on his SAT and enrolled in the U.S. Naval academy.

The Academy:
Robinson was a gymnast, chess player and musician. He was also a math major at the Naval Academy and played NCAA basketball for The Academy team. At the time he began his collegiate career, he was 6-foot-9.
Over the next four years, Robinson would grow to become 7-foot-1 and won several basketball awards, including the two most prestigious honors in college basketball – the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award.

Joining San Antonio Spurs:
With the first overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected David Robinson. “The Admiral” did not join the Spurs for two years, however, as he had to complete his commitment to the Navy. Robinson would go on to play 14 years at center for San Antonio before retiring from the league in 2003 after winning his second NBA Championship.

Basketball Achievements:

• NBA Champion – 1999, 2003
• NBA Most Valuable Player – 1995
• NBA Defensive Player of the Year – 1992
• NBA Rookie of the Year – 1990
• All-NBA First Team – four times
• All-NBA Second Team – two times
• All-NBA Third Team – four times
• All-Defensive First Team – four times
• All-Defensive Second Team – four times
• NBA All-Star Team – ten times
• United States Olympian – three times
• NBA Scoring Leader – 29.8 ppg (1993-94)
• NBA Rebounding Leader – 13.0 rpg (1990-91)
• NBA Blocked Shots Leader – 4.49 bpg (1991-92)
• One of only four NBA players to ever record a quadruple double

Giving Back:
Robinson is heralded in San Antonio not only for his contributions as a basketball player, but also for his contributions as a man. A born again Christian, Robinson gave back to the San Antonio community throughout his NBA career and continues to do so in retirement.
In 1991, Robinson visited with local San Antonio fifth graders at Gates Elementary School. On that day, he challenged the students to finish their schooling and go on to college. He promised a $2,000 scholarship to all those who did.
In 1998, Robinson bettered his promise by giving each of those students who graduated high school an $8,000 scholarship to college.

Community Assist Award:
In recognition of his outstanding efforts, in 2003 the NBA re-named its award for outstanding charitable efforts after Robinson. The monthly NBA Community Assist Award winners now receive the David Robinson Plaque.

Carver Academy:
David and his wife Valerie founded the Carver Academy in 2001. The school offers elementary school children a challenging academic program featuring small classes and leadership opportunities in a nurturing, Christian environment. In addition to normal course studies, the curriculum includes advanced computer technology, foreign language, music and physical education classes.
Nearly all the students at Carver Academy are there on scholarships. The school was designed to give inner city and low income students the same opportunities as those children coming from higher income families.

Contributions:
David and Valerie have donated over $11 million of their own money to the Carver Academy. However, the Robinson’s contributions are not merely financial, the husband and wife are involved in the Academy’s operations and growth.

Dan Wooding interview:

Acceptance Speech at Hall of Fame (San Antonio Spurs):