Glenn Robinson

1973-

American basketball player

The odds may not have looked good for NBA star Glenn Robinson. Born January 10, 1973, to Christine Bridgeman, an unmarried teenager, Robinson had little contact with his father, who often found himself in trouble with the law. Robinson's neighborhood in Gary, Indiana, was riddled with crime and drugs, but under Bridgeman's guidance, Robinson stayed straight. Once, Bridgeman pulled Robinson off the high school basketball team when she thought his grades were too low. The fledgling basketball star carried tools and worked at an air-conditioning and refrigeration shop to earn money.

Not a Natural

While basketball may have been Robinson's ticket to a more posh life, the sport did not come easy to the player now known as "Big Dog." In seventh grade, he refused to try out for the team, and with good reason, according to his future high school coach Ron Hefflin. "He wasn't very good," Hefflin told Sports Illustrated. "People don't understand how hard that kid worked. He hasn't always been a good ballplayer."

The hard work paid off; in his freshman year at Gary's Roosevelt High School, Robinson made the junior varsity team and he made varsity the following year. By his senior season in 1991, Robinson was averaging 25.6 points and 14.6 rebounds per game, statistics good enough to lead his team to a 30-1 record and a state championship. That year he was named Indiana's Mr. Basketball and shared National High School Player of the Year honors with the Sacramento Kings' Chris Webber , who attended Detroit Country Day High School in Michigan.

Sits Out Freshman Year

Despite all his hard work on the court, Robinson did not achieve a high enough score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test to qualify for an athletic scholarship. He entered Purdue University under Proposition 48, which allowed him to receive a scholarship provided he met the school's academic standards while sitting out his freshman year. Robinson honed his skills by playing against other future National Basketball Association (NBA) stars such as Tim Hardaway and Kevin Duckworth in the Malcolm X summer league in Chicago and he returned for his first season with the Boilermakers in top form.

While Robinson took the court by storm, finishing in the top ten in the conference in scoring, rebounding, steals, blocked shots, field goal percentage and free throw percentage, his team's overall performance was less stellar. The Boilermakers finished their season with an 18-10 record and were eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the first round.

Robinson had the option to turn pro after his sensational season, but he decided to stay another season at Purdue. He had both his team and himself in mind, Robinson explained in Sports Illustrated. He didn't want to leave his teammates in the lurch and he didn't feel he was mature enough for the big leagues. "I wasn't ready to go off into that big world yet," he explained. "Out there you have to be able to deal with girls, agents, people trying to give you drugs, all that stuff."

Chronology

He led the team to a Big Ten championship and the NCAA tournament semifinals, where Purdue lost to Duke. The awards came pouring in. In addition to receiving the Naismith and Wooden awards, Robinson was named National College Basketball Player of the Year. Although he had a good chance at an NCAA championship if he stayed on, Robinson opted to enter the NBA draft, where he was the first pick. After being chosen by the Milwaukee Bucks, Robinson held out for a 10-year, $68.15 million contract, which he signed just one hour before the Bucks' first game of the season. The holdout was of such interest to the media that U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, who owns the Bucks, fielded questions about it during his campaign.

Big Dog with the Bucks

Due to the holdout, Robinson missed training camp. As a result, his start with the Bucks was shaky. His recovery was quick, however, and by the end of the season he led all rookie scorers with 21.9 points per game and finished second in the voting for Rookie of the Year. In 1996 he was named to the Olympic "Dream Team III," although he opted to fully recover from the Achilles tendonitis that had plagued him during the season rather than play.

During his time off, Robinson worked on conditioning, footwork and ballhandling. "I want to be known as a complete player," he told The Sporting News. "The emphasis was on my offense the first two years, but I want to be known for all aspects of the game." Coach Chris Ford took notice, and named Robinson co-captain in the 1996-97 season. It took some time, but the Bucks finally made the postseason in 1999 and again in 2000. In 2001 Robinson led the Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals.

In July 2002 Robinson made headlines for his off-court behavior. After an altercation with his former fiancée, he was arrested for domestic battery, assault and possession of a firearm. The next month, following a season in which the Bucks did not make the playoffs, the team traded Robinson to Atlanta. Robinson, who has risen above defeat and disappointment so often in the past, told Sports Illustrated he was thrilled with the move. "I've always thought about living and playing in Atlanta," he said. "I'm in my prime, and this is a new beginning."

Career Statistics

Awards and Accomplishments

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: c/o Atlanta Hawks, One CNN Center, Atlanta, GA 30303. Email: [email protected].

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Sports Stars, Series 1-4. U•X•L, 1994-98.

Periodicals

Anande, J.A., Greg Hoffman and Radd Cawhorn. "Looking Out for Number One." Sporting News (February 10, 1997): 9.

Ballard, Chris. "9 Atlanta Hawks." Sports Illustrated (Oct. 28, 2002): 112.

Sketch by Kristin Palm