Alvin Robertson

infobox NBA Player


name = Alvin Robertson
nickname =
position = Shooting guard
height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3
weight_lbs = 185
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1962|7|22
birth_place = Barberton, Ohio
college = Arkansas
draft = 7th overall
draft_year = 1984
draft_team = San Antonio Spurs
career_start = 1984
career_end = 1996
former_teams = San Antonio Spurs (1984–1989) Milwaukee Bucks (1989–1993) Detroit Pistons (1993) Toronto Raptors (1995–1996)
awards = 1985-86 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
1985-86 NBA Most Improved Player
4-Time NBA All-Star

Alvin Cyrrale Robertson (born July 22, 1962 in Barberton, Ohio) is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association from 1984 to 1993, and for one final season in 1995-96.

Best known for his defense, the 6'3" Robertson played for ten years after being selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the seventh pick in the 1984 NBA Draft out of Crowder Junior College and the University of Arkansas. After five seasons with the Spurs, He finished out his career with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Detroit Pistons and the Toronto Raptors. He also was a member of 1984 U.S. Olympic gold-medal team

In 1986, Robertson became the inaugural winner of the NBA Most Improved Player Award. This also marked the first of four National Basketball Association All-Star Game appearances for the guard (the others coming in 1987, 1988, and 1991). He also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1986 [cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/awards_defensiveplayer.html |title=Defensive Player of the Year |publisher=NBA.com |accessdate=2007-04-21] , and led the league in steals in 1986, 1987 and 1991. Robertson still holds the top career steals-per-game average in the NBA, with 2.71 per contest over 779 career games. [cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/records/regular_steals.html |title=Regular Season Records: Steals |publisher=NBA.com |accessdate=2007-04-21]

Robertson twice led the league in steals. In 1985-86 he averaged a league-leading 3.67 steals per gamecite web |url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/SPG_season.html |title=Season Leaders for Steals Per Game |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |accessdate=2007-04-21] , a major factor in his earning the Defensive Player of the Year honor and being selected second-team All-NBA, one of only five players in Spurs' history to have been selected first, second or third-team All-NBA. He was a three-time All-Star. Only George Gervin, David Robinson and Tim Duncan have represented the Spurs in more All-Star Games, while Manu Ginobili still trails Robertson in appearances with one. [cite web |url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA020407.12C.BKNspurs.robertson.134a396.html |title=Top 30 NBA Spurs — No. 10: Alvin Robertson |last=Monroe |first=Mike |date=2007-02-20 |publisher=MySA.com |accessdate=2007-04-21]

Robertson led the Spurs in steals four of the five seasons he was with the club, three times averaging more than three per game. Though he played only five seasons in San Antonio, he ranks second in club history in total steals, with 1,129.

A multi-dimensional player, Robertson is one of only four NBA players to record a quadruple-double (double digits in four statistical categories in a single game) when he registered 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals whilst playing for the Spurs against the Phoenix Suns. [cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/spurs/history/spurs_history.html |title=San Antonio Spurs History |publisher=spurs.com |accessdate=2007-04-20] He is also the only player to do so with steals as the fourth category (the other three were with blocks). [cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/thurmond_741018.html |title=Nate Thurmond's Most MemoraBull Game |date=2006-12-18 |accessdate=2007-04-21]

In 1994, the Detroit Pistons traded Robertson to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Mark Macon and Marcus Liberty. However, he never actually saw any playing time for the Nuggets due to pre-existing back injuries. [ [http://www.ibiblio.org/craig/draft/1994_draft/draft/13.html http://www.ibiblio.org/craig/draft/1994_draft/draft/13.html] . Retrieved on April 20, 2007.]

Robertson scored the first points in Toronto Raptors' history. Ed Pinckney won the franchise's opening tip-off, Robertson hit a three-pointer, and the Raptors were ahead 3–0. [cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Basketball/NBA/Toronto/2004/10/31/694990.html |title=Constant change |last=Lankhof |first=Bill |publisher=SLAM! sports |accessdate=2007-04-20]

Personal life

Robertson has a history of off-court problems during and after his career. In August of 1997, he pleaded no contest to four misdemeanor charges of abusing a former girlfriend and was sentenced to one year in prison. [cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500EFDD1F3FF93AA2575BC0A961958260 |title=Robertson Sentenced to Jail |date=1997-08-19 |publisher=New York Times |accessdate=2007-04-20] He also spent a month in jail during the 1990 NBA off-season for beating his then-wife. Robertson was arrested again in San Antonio, Texas in January 2007, on a variety of charges, several related to domestic violence. [cite news |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2751379 |title=Former Spurs star Robertson arrested on six warrants |date=2007-02-01 |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=2007-04-20]

Robertson is the father of Tyrell Johnson, 2008 NFL 2nd round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings. [ [http://arkansasstate.scout.com/a.z?s=334&p=2&c=744800 Scout.com: Tyrell Johnson: Forgotten Man Gains Ground ] ]

Notes