On this Veterans Day, let’s remember a great athlete who served his nation, David Robinson.
David Robinson had a long NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs from 1989 to 2003. Now a minority Spurs owner, Robinson was a 10-time NBA All-Star, the 1995 NBA MVP, a two-time NBA Champion, a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and a two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee.
Robinson was nicknamed “The Admiral” because he served in the military after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1986, Robinson led the Navy to a #7 seed in the annual NCAA tournament, and his team came within a game of the Final Four before falling to the Duke Blue Devils in the East Regional Final.
Robinson was eligible to be taken in the 1987 NBA draft and was selected by the Spurs as the first overall pick. However, the Spurs had to wait two years because, like any other Navy graduate, he had to fulfill his service obligations. He received a commission as a staff officer in the Civil Engineer Corps and served as a civil engineer officer at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia.
Courtesy Joint Base San Antonio
David Robinson was a great basketball player who served his country in the Navy.
