Despite being the first overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft, David Robinson didn’t start playing for the Spurs till ‘89. Having played collegiate ball at the U.S. Naval Academy, Robinson fulfilled his two-year active-duty obligation to the Navy. In 2001, when the entire nation was reeling from the 9/11 terror attacks, it was Robinson’s training that gave him a new perspective on the tragedy.
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The Admiral once sat down with NBA.com’s Brian Martin for an exclusive interview 20 years after the 9/11 tragedy. An event that shook the entire world, Martin was curious to know if Robinson’s military training played a role in his perspective as a professional athlete.
Robinson recalled the time the tragedy took place and how he was in the NBA during that time. All Robinson could think of were his fellow mates who he had served with and if they were safe or not.
“I remember I was playing, and I just thought about all the people that I had served with, all the people that I knew that would be in harm’s way…Any kind of a wartime situation is a horrific thing to even imagine, and seeing it become a reality was almost surreal for me.”
The footage of the crash, the aftermath, and all the chaos that ensued right after was being aired on news channels 24/7. New footage from different angles, various levels of elevation, and such only made the horror all the more real for the viewers.
The amount of chaos was enough to scar any average Joe on a regular day. But Martin wondered if the experience was the same for the Spurs legend as well. The two-time NBA champion credited his military training for being able to stomach the horrors. And it also gave him somewhat of a unique perspective on such acts of disarray.
“When you’re in the military you’re training for this; this is what you’re constantly preparing for, although it’s a day you never want to see. So, it reminded me of all those days of training.”
Being in the Armed Forces, soldiers are made aware of the actual mayhem that ensues on the front line, something Robinson was well aware of. “Knowing that was going to become a reality for many, I just I thought about those people. They were certainly in my prayers.”
The league at the time worked closely with families who had relatives serving the nation. Robinson also mentioned how the Spurs organization, along with many others, came together with local groups and establishments that tackled such issues and causes.
But despite his naval background and training, the 9/11 horrors ended up taking a toll on The Admiral as well.
