I don't know if the NBA has made some new rules regarding Service Academy players, but David Robinson had a chance at least back then, to sign with any team he wanted to, because he had to serve two years in the US Navy. Normally, he'd be out for five, but due to his height restricting him from flying planes, most notably fighter jets and going on many ships, including a large amount of submarines, Robinson was given a special exemption so he only had to serve two years active duty, and six years in the Naval Reserve. Not in the video is what he ended up doing; he was a naval engineer, and his major was math and engineering, so he put his degree to good use. Just his presence alone along with Top Gun the movie made the Navy the "hip" force to be in. What a great time to be in the Navy, or a Marine. A ton of guys wanted to be in the military after these movies came out. After all, in 1987, that's when Full Metal Jacket came out!:



On a basketball standpoint, Robinson was a guy that almost every team salivated for whether he came from the Naval Academy or Duke. Because of his unique situation, players drafted by the NBA's teams only could keep them for one year at the time, and he had to serve two years in the Navy, so it wasn't out of the picture that he may have not been a Spur in the first place. How much different would Spurs history be if Robinson didn't sign with the Spurs? He could have signed with the Bulls, Lakers, or the hometown Wizards (then Bullets). Robinson for that matter had a great career in front of him, and he may have followed in his father's footsteps and remained a Naval officer and serve a respectful 20 to 30 year career and perhaps even be an Admiral by the time he retired. Even when he was in college, he could've been a Marine officer if that's what he wanted to do. For at least a two years or so, David Robinson was quite possibly the luckiest man on earth. Seriously.

Since he was such a gentleman as a Middie, as a Navy Lieutenant, and as a Spur, it's only fitting that his HOF speech (Which no one cared about only because of one better player dominating the attention, he deserved it though) was just as gracious and articulate as his pre draft interview.


The question
The main question is this. What the hell would the NBA have been like if these things happened?

1. David Robinson did not sign with the Spurs and signed with another team.

2. David Robinson decided to pursue his Naval career?


To me, if Robinson signed with another team, that other team if it was like the Jazz or the Knicks would've easily been a championship winner. If he were a Bull, MJ may not have been the main draw. Instead it would be a Big Three of the Admiral, Air, and Peppy Pippy. If he were on the Bullets, he perhaps would have gotten the team playoff bound and we would have seen the Naval Academy students invade US Air Arena and later the Verizon Center during a couple games. The Spurs of course would just suck for awhile, maybe a long while.

If Robinson decided to remain in the Navy, he would have never been famous, he would have won more medals, but he will still be a major figure in the record books and in USNA history. The Spurs would have likely been a team striving to be mediocre for much of the next 10-15 years.

I guess it's up in the air really. Robinson needed a superstar next to him to win a ring.

As much of a good guy and brainiac as Robinson was he had no killer instinct. If he went to the Bulls, Lakers he probably would of been a champion a lot sooner than when the Spurs tanked the season to get a high draft pick, which got them Duncan. Robinson probably would be a higher rated player if he had gone to anothr team (minus the Bullets) if he had gotten rings earlier in his career and not off the coat tails of TD.

As much as I respect David as a player. He was a guy that could put up great stats, but never carry his team to the ring.

where is srf's opinion?

If Spurs didn't sign Robinson they wouldn't win in 1999 and 2003..Robinson would go to the Bulls/Lakers where he will have rings etc