Tigers#1
05-24-2002, 05:24 PM
SAN ANTONIO -- David Robinson's 14th NBA season in San Antonio will be his last.
The 7-foot-1 center, one of basketball's all-time great players, said Friday that he will hang up his size-17 Nikes after the 2002-2003 season.
``My career here has been like a dream -- perhaps better than a dream,'' he said. ``It's been a great 13 years for me, and I'm excited about next year.''
Robinson, who turns 37 in August, is heading into the final year of a two-year, $20 million contract he signed with the San Antonio Spurs last summer.
He said he revealed his intentions well ahead of time to let the Spurs start planning for life after his departure as the team's all-time leader in many categories, including scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and assists.
The announcement was made in the library of the Carver Academy, a private school Robinson founded for underprivileged children on the city's predominantly black east side. Dozens of young Carver students sat quietly on the floor as their towering benefactor stood at the microphone and spoke of his future.
Robinson, who has given $9 million to the school, was accompanied by his father and two of his three sons to make public what he termed a family decision arrived at earlier this week.
``I know the Lord has good things for me to do,'' he said. ``But hopefully we'll have a great summer and come back and have a fantastic year next year.''
Robinson said he won't feel any pressure to perform well on his farewell tour of arenas around the NBA.
``To me every game is going to be fun, every practice is going to be fun,'' he said. ``I'm just going to enjoy it.''
Robinson averaged a career-low 12.2 points and 8.3 rebounds during the 2001-02 regular season, well below his career averages of 21.9 points and 10.8 rebounds.
He then hurt his lower back in early April and was sidelined for all but a few minutes of San Antonio's first seven playoff games.
The Spurs got past Seattle in five games and were tied at one win each with the Los Angeles Lakers when Robinson returned to action. In limited duty, he averaged 4.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, but his team lost all three games and were eliminated.
Past and present Spurs owners lavished praise on Robinson, who has played his entire career in San Antonio.
``God paid a special blessing to San Antonio when he sent us David Robinson,'' said B.J. ``Red'' McCombs, owner of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and the Spurs' owner from 1988-93. ``We were in hopes of having a basketball player who could save the franchise for our city. We got much more than that.''
``He's one of a kind,'' said Peter Holt, current Spurs chairman. ``He is a true role model -- a tremendous athlete, a family man, a pillar in the community -- but most of all he has a huge heart. He cares about people.''
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said of Robinson, ``I've never been around a more remarkable human being.''
Robinson, a 1987 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served two years of active duty before joining the Spurs for the 1989-90 season.
He was a unanimous choice as Rookie of the Year, NBA scoring champion in 1994 and the league's MVP in 1995. A 10-time All-Star, Robinson was the league's defensive player of the year in 1992. Last season, he scored his 20,000th point.
He is the only U.S. basketball player to win three Olympic medals -- gold in 1996 and 1992, and bronze while still an amatuer in 1988.
The 7-foot-1 center, one of basketball's all-time great players, said Friday that he will hang up his size-17 Nikes after the 2002-2003 season.
``My career here has been like a dream -- perhaps better than a dream,'' he said. ``It's been a great 13 years for me, and I'm excited about next year.''
Robinson, who turns 37 in August, is heading into the final year of a two-year, $20 million contract he signed with the San Antonio Spurs last summer.
He said he revealed his intentions well ahead of time to let the Spurs start planning for life after his departure as the team's all-time leader in many categories, including scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and assists.
The announcement was made in the library of the Carver Academy, a private school Robinson founded for underprivileged children on the city's predominantly black east side. Dozens of young Carver students sat quietly on the floor as their towering benefactor stood at the microphone and spoke of his future.
Robinson, who has given $9 million to the school, was accompanied by his father and two of his three sons to make public what he termed a family decision arrived at earlier this week.
``I know the Lord has good things for me to do,'' he said. ``But hopefully we'll have a great summer and come back and have a fantastic year next year.''
Robinson said he won't feel any pressure to perform well on his farewell tour of arenas around the NBA.
``To me every game is going to be fun, every practice is going to be fun,'' he said. ``I'm just going to enjoy it.''
Robinson averaged a career-low 12.2 points and 8.3 rebounds during the 2001-02 regular season, well below his career averages of 21.9 points and 10.8 rebounds.
He then hurt his lower back in early April and was sidelined for all but a few minutes of San Antonio's first seven playoff games.
The Spurs got past Seattle in five games and were tied at one win each with the Los Angeles Lakers when Robinson returned to action. In limited duty, he averaged 4.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, but his team lost all three games and were eliminated.
Past and present Spurs owners lavished praise on Robinson, who has played his entire career in San Antonio.
``God paid a special blessing to San Antonio when he sent us David Robinson,'' said B.J. ``Red'' McCombs, owner of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and the Spurs' owner from 1988-93. ``We were in hopes of having a basketball player who could save the franchise for our city. We got much more than that.''
``He's one of a kind,'' said Peter Holt, current Spurs chairman. ``He is a true role model -- a tremendous athlete, a family man, a pillar in the community -- but most of all he has a huge heart. He cares about people.''
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said of Robinson, ``I've never been around a more remarkable human being.''
Robinson, a 1987 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served two years of active duty before joining the Spurs for the 1989-90 season.
He was a unanimous choice as Rookie of the Year, NBA scoring champion in 1994 and the league's MVP in 1995. A 10-time All-Star, Robinson was the league's defensive player of the year in 1992. Last season, he scored his 20,000th point.
He is the only U.S. basketball player to win three Olympic medals -- gold in 1996 and 1992, and bronze while still an amatuer in 1988.