The San Antonio Spurs had to wait two years after drafting David Robinson with the first overall pick in 1987.
He was more than worth the wait.
GettyRobinson’s last college game saw him hit 50 without a 3-pointer[/caption] He is a two-time Olympic championGettyLong before the Long before the NCAA Tournament was known as March Madness, the 7ft 1in giant laid down an emphatic display that hinted at the Hall of Fame career to follow.
Robinson joined his first organized team as a high school senior after a growth spurt saw him shoot above his classmates.
He kept up basketball after joining the United States Naval Academy in 1983 and four years later put on one of the all-time great NCAA performances.
In the first round of the 1987 tournament against Michigan, Robinson racked up 50 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and just one turnover.
It was his fifth consecutive 20-point double-double in the NCAA tournament. Only Zach Edey has more (six).
Despite his heroics, Robsinson’s effort would be the final game of his college career after the Wolverines secured a 97-82 victory.
The tournament was famous for being the first to feature a 3-point line — the future Spurs superstar didn’t attempt a single one as he shot 59.5 percent on 37 field goals.
Robinson has also been credited with fuelling the rise in basketball cards, which were not a big deal at the time despite Magic Johnson and Larry Bird‘s fame.
The All-American served two years in the Navy after San Antonio selected him.
With a 6ft 6in height limit for midshipmen, he worked as a civil engineering officer at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia to complete his two-year active duty obligation.
GettyRobinson celebrates after the Dream Team stormed to gold in Barcelona[/caption] GettyHe spent his entire career with the Spurs, earning $110 million[/caption]While he was later known as the admiral, his actual final rank was lieutenant (junior grade).
As he had not signed a contract with the Spurs, Robinson could have re-entered the draft and speculation was rife he would choose not to join San Antonio.
He eventually signed a contract after the Spurs agreed to match the salaries of the two highest-paid players in the league each year, or release him.
That all added to his mystique and by the time Hoops arrived on the card scene for the 1989-90 season featuring the novel idea of rookie designs, people were clamoring to get their hands on the Admiral. The buzz was a game-changer for the industry.
Robinson certainly lived up to the hype. Spending his whole career in San Antonio, he was named MVP in 1995 and inspired the team to Championships in 1999 and 2003 — his final season.
A 10-time All-Star led the league in rebounds in 1991, won Defensive Player of the Year a year later, and was the league’s scoring leader in 1994 — he was a big man with an all-round skill set.
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Among his collection are two Olympic golds from 1992 — Michael Jordan‘s dominant Dream Team — and 1996.
His first encounter with Air Jordan came in an exhibition game in 1988.
“I go back to meet Michael because, like everybody else, I’m a big fan, and you know the first thing he says to me? ‘I’m going to dunk on you, big fella. I dunked on all the other big fellas, and you’re next,'” Robinson told Sports Illustrated in 2012.
“And he said it almost every time we played. I’d go back at him, ‘Don’t even think about it. I will take you out of the air.’ And Michael would always promise to get me.
“Eventually [he dunked on me]. It was a two-on-one with him and Scottie. Michael took the shot and I went up to block it, but I didn’t get there, and he dunked it and the crowd went crazy. ‘Told you I was going to get you one day,’ he said. “Man, what a competitor. He never forgot anything, never let you get away with anything.”
Robinson entered the Hall of Fame in 2009. From 50 points in an NCAA tournament loss to being put on a poster by Air Jordan, the 59-year-old isn’t short of anecdotes as he enjoys his retirement.
How to watch March Madness in the UK
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March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for basketball fans, with a total of 68 teams battling it out to become the Division 1 college champions.
This year UConn have the chance to become only the second team ever to complete a March Madness three-peat, having emerged victorious for the last two years.
talkSPORT will have the latest news on the tournament, but for UK basketball fans the way to watch is through Sky Sports. The broadcaster will be showing EVERY March Madness game through their Sky Sports + streaming service.
Click here to sign up to a Sky Sports subscription, or read our article on the best Sky Sports deals available now.
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