One of the most dominant big men in NBA history, David Robinson was a great leader on the San Antonio Spurs. He ended up winning two championships alongside Tim Duncan in San Antonio while also earning 10- All-Star nods, 10 All-NBA appearances, one DPOY, and one MVP.
During his time with the Spurs, Robinson got the chance to play with some elite NBA talent, highlighted by Duncan, as previously mentioned. However, he also played with some interesting characters, Dennis Rodman being the most notable of the bunch. Rodman had a very interesting NBA career, and while he’s best known for his time with the Chicago Bulls, he was also a Spur for two seasons.
In a recent interview with Joe Buck, Robinson spoke at length about his experience with Rodman. (H/t Shane Garry Acedera of Basketball Network)
“You know what? I love Dennis. I really do,” Robinson said. “He’s an unbelievable player, incredibly athletic. I mean, he was like Superman. Like, he just was a freak of nature. The guy could run all day long, never got tired, and was like the Energizer bunny. I loved having him next to me on the court because you always felt like, you know you just got a warrior with you. So on the court, he’s a great guy to have next to you. In the locker room is a little different story.”
However, he also noted that Rodman wasn’t a great leader.
“You know, he marches to the beat of his own drum,” Robinson said. “Like when you need a leader, a leader needs to be tuned in to what everybody else is doing. A leader needs to say, ‘Hey, how do I help this guy and that guy?’ And so that was hard for him. He is not that guy.”
Rodman was great at what he did best, but leading wasn’t necessarily part of that.
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