Q&A: David Robinson

Posted by Unknown on Monday, August 06, 2012 with 4 comments
Courtesy of Joe Brescia



Q
Kobe Bryant said that this year’s United States Olympic men’s team could beat the Dream Team. Do you agree?
A.
I give Kobe a lot of credit for standing up for his team. I think this team has some great players and some unstoppable scorers. They could beat us on any given day. But on the whole, I think there’s still some things they have to prove to themselves and everybody else.
Q.
The current team had to struggle to beat Argentina in an exhibition game. Will they have trouble winning the gold medal?
A.
I don’t think it’s going to be a cakewalk. There are some very good teams. Spain is an outstanding team that has played together for a long time. They’re not going to roll over. And there are a few teams like that. But with their athleticism and the mix of guys, we have to be the favorite.
Q.
Anthony Davis is the only college player to make the 2012 Olympic squad. What do you think about his talent and future in the N.B.A.?
A.
With his skill set, he’s going to be very effective. The question is, Is he going to be a 25-and-10-a-night guy? I don’t think he’s going to be that right away. But he has the potential to do that. He’s very athletic. It will depend on the makeup of the team, if they need him to score. He’s definitely a top-tier player and worthy of the No. 1 pick. Maybe not quite a Tim Duncan-type player but certainly in that neighborhood.
Q.
What happened to the Spurs, who looked so strong during the season but were eliminated by Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals?
A.
They got as far as they did because they had great balance. The bench was giving them good solid minutes and points up to that point in the season. But for some reason, things started to fall apart against the Thunder. The first two games Oklahoma City was playing like last year’s Thunder, not moving the ball and playing hectic. But by the end of the series, we were the ones playing hectic and not moving the ball. The Thunder were the ones making the five good passes and attacking the rim. The teams switched identities.
Q.
What player do you enjoy watching?
A.
You have to appreciate what LeBron [James] did in the playoffs. He was a monster. And also [Kevin] Durant. I watched him the series against us. And he hit shot after shot after shot. He was amazing. I love the way he plays. I was disappointed that Derrick Rose didn’t get a chance to do what he does in the playoffs. He’s one of the more fun guys to watch.
Q.
Do you think the Knicks made the right decision when they did not re-sign Jeremy Lin?
A.
I don’t. For the life of me I can’t figure out why you would get rid of a guy — and this is not a direct criticism of the Knicks because I don’t know what their thought process was, and I was not there — who is the most valuable person you have on that roster. I’m sitting in San Antonio, and I’m watching the Knicks because of him. And every day I’m checking the newspapers to see how he did and if the Knicks won again. How do you get rid of a guy who all of a sudden generates all that interest? I don’t care what you pay him. It would have been worth it. They know more than I do since they’re there on an everyday basis. From the outside looking in, I thought it was a no-brainer to keep him.
Q.
What do you think about Dwight Howard and other players trying to force trades?
A.
I look at it as a very nice blessing for me that I played for one team and could build that community relationship. We built a school there.
It works out great if you can do it. Unfortunately, in today’s society, it’s changed. But I give the Spurs a lot of credit. In the last 20 years we’ve had a tremendous amount of success, and they’ve managed to keep the teams together. Not many teams are able to do that.
Q.
How do you spend your time now?
A.
Largely as a dad. My oldest son is in college now. My middle one is about to go. My youngest is a sophomore in high school. That’s my No. 1 priority now. I’m also a minister at my church, and I get to teach Bible study. I also have a private equity fund I started with a friend of mine from Goldman Sachs. We have a great partner with the USAA Real Estate Company. And I had an opportunity to get my master’s degree recently.
Q.
Your son Corey is headed to Notre Dame to play wide receiver this season. What happened to the basketball genes?
A.
He wasn’t listening to me! [Robinson laughed.] Football is one of those sports where your body is going to take a beating. But that’s his strength. He’s a great competitor. He was trying to choose between basketball and football. And he was just naturally better at football. It was an easy choice. And when you have a school like Notre Dame interested in you, it’s hard to say no to that.
Q.
What are you most proud of in your career?
A.
I’m most proud of being able to build something in San Antonio, from a 21-61 team to go to a team that won four championships and build such a culture. That’s something to feel good about. I feel that I can go back into that locker room and see that it has probably the best atmosphere of any locker room in the league. And that’s not easy to do. I take a lot of pride in that. Management went out of their way to bring in great guys. Tim [Duncan] fit that mold. All the guys, Manu [Ginobili], Steve Kerr, Danny Ferry, were perfect guys for the chemistry of the team.
Q.
Any regrets?
A.
No. Not one. It was an amazing journey. We had some times, when we lost in 1995 against the Rockets. That was painful. Hakeem [Olajuwon] was playing great and out of his mind. I was playing O.K. But not near M.V.P. status. That was probably the one time I was most disappointed in myself. But other than that, everything was phenomenal. It went along better than I could have scripted it.