The San Antonio Spurs today announced that center David Robinson will retire following the 2002-03 season.
“My career here has been like a dream. Perhaps better than a dream,” said Robinson. “I couldn’t ask for better teammates, coaches, owners and – most of all – fans. I wouldn’t trade the experiences my family and I have enjoyed here in San Antonio for anything. But we still have some work to do and I know that next season is going to be special.”
Robinson has spent his entire career with the Spurs after being selected by San Antonio with the first pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. He is the team’s all-time NBA leader in points (20,244), rebounds (9,989), blocks (2,843), steals (1,336) and games played (923). In his 13 NBA seasons Robinson has posted career averages of 21.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.08 blocks while shooting .519 (7,168-13,801) from the field.
“David Robinson always has been and always will be synonymous with what is best about the Spurs and San Antonio,” said Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. “His accomplishments and magnanimity through the years are much heralded but his qualities as a human being surpass even those. David will finish his career with class, just as he began, and he’ll always be a member of the Spurs family.”
A 10-time NBA All-Star, Robinson was named the league’s MVP in 1995. He has been selected to an All-NBA team 10 times and to an All-Defensive Team eight times. Robinson is one of two players – along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – to win a scoring title (1994), a rebounding title (1991) and a blocked shots title (1992). In 1996 Robinson was recognized as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time. He was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1990, was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 and has captured the IBM Award – which goes to the most statistically dominating player in the league – an NBA record five times.
Robinson also has had a great impact in the community. He and wife Valerie committed $9 million to create The Carver Academy on San Antonio’s culturally diverse East Side. Designed to serve primarily low-income African-American and Hispanic families, the challenging academic program features small classes, leadership opportunities and a nurturing family-like atmosphere. The independent school officially opened on September 17, 2001, and when fully operational, will accommodate up to 290 students pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
“This is one of those cases where words are impossible to find,” said Spurs Owner Peter Holt. “There simply isn’t a way to describe what David Robinson has meant to the Spurs franchise, to the San Antonio community and to sports fans around the world. He is one of a kind. 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 and over the years he has touched so many lives and helped so many people.”