The Republican Sports Desk
By Jeff Thomas
To say David Robinson was an empty vessel would be an insult to the soon-to-be Basketball Hall of Famer.
After all, he was accepted at the United States Naval Academy, where good grades, high test scores and a letter of recommendation from a congressman or two are needed to gain entry to Annapolis.
But in terms of basketball, his experience was limited, and that proved to be a big help to then-Navy coach Paul Evans.
"The good thing about him is since he had only played one year of high school basketball, he was like coaching a junior high kid," Evans recalled. "He had no bad habits. He started fresh and kept the ball off the floor."
By time he graduated in 1987, Robinson was named college basketball's player of the year, owned 30 Navy records, two national blocked shots titles, a rebounds title, the NCAA record for double-doubles in a season with 31 and was the first pick in the NBA draft.
Robinson went on to have an outstanding professional career with the San Antonio Spurs, leading them to two NBA championships, while adding three Olympic gold medals to his trophy case.
While Evans knew he was getting an excellent athlete with a big upside from Osbourne Park (Va.) High School, he did not suspect a future Hall of Famer.
"We thought we were going to get another Johnny Newman," Evans said, referring to the former University of Richmond forward who had a good NBA career. "(Robinson) was only 6-7 when we saw him, and he only played one year of basketball. What he could do was run the floor.
"When he came in as a plebe, he was 6-9陆 and the next year he was seven feet," Evans added.
Robinson didn't start as a freshman and only averaged nine minutes a game as he learned the ropes as a backup center.
As a sophomore he started in his first game, as well as the next 98 games played by Navy.
"He was such a good student of the game, and he had one of the best turnaround jumpers," Evans said. "His junior year he led the nation in blocked shots, and we led the nation in blocked shots. He had one less than the second team, which was Louisville."
Robinson, nicknamed "The Admiral," led Navy to three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, with the Midshipmen reaching the regional finals in Robinson's junior year.
After serving two years in the Navy, Robinson was honorably discharged and joined the Spurs in 1989, the start of a 13-year career in which the Spurs went to the playoffs 12 times and won two NBA titles.
A 10-time all-star who averaged 21.1 points and 10.6 rebounds over his career, he earned such honors as Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, as well as winning a scoring title and rebounding crown all in the first six years of his career.
But it wasn't until the 10th year of his career when the Spurs won their first NBA title. They added another in Robinson's last year in 2003, both titles coming with Tim Duncan at his side.
"When you've got two kids like that it creates bad matchup problems," Evans said. "And when you look at David, the way he ended his career was as admirable as the way it started. A lot of kids couldn't handle that."
Evans is referring to the rise of Duncan as the team's first offensive option. Robinson embraced the young Duncan and did what was best for the team.
That attitude came as no surprise to people like Evans, who watched Robinson mature from boy to man.
"You've got a great player and more importantly a great person," Evans said. "What he's done down there in San Antonio with the school is just incredible."
Robinson, whose charitable work inspired the NBA to give the David Robinson Plaque to the annual recipient of the NBA Community Assist Award, in 2001 started the Carver Academy, a school that gives elementary school-age students in San Antonio a quality education regardless of race, religion or financial situation.
When Robinson enters the Hall of Fame next month, Evans, who left coaching after a successful run at the University of Pittsburgh, will be on hand with current Navy coach Billy Lange and some of Robinson's old Navy teammates.
That's the kind of friendship Robinson inspires, and his presence in the Hall of Fame will only make the shrine a better place.
http://www.masslive.com/basketball-hall-of-fame/index.ssf/2009/08/david_robinson_who_enters_the.html
