Kobe Bryant pounds his chest after the last game of his NBA career. (AP)

Remember when Kobe Bean Bryant announced he was entering the 1996 NBA draft straight out of high school? He had his shades flipped above his forehead, looking sharp in his tailored suit. Let’s be honest. He looked like a cocky teenager who feared nothing and no one.

Many thought Kobe would fall flat on his face and be humbled by the ultra-competitive world of the NBA. What those critics didn’t realize was that Kobe ended up having the last laugh.

For 20 years, the Black Mamba humbled the league.

We’re paying tribute to the Los Angeles Lakers legend, who was tragically killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020, by revisiting some of the greatest moments in his basketball odyssey as we celebrate his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. In honor of his first number as a pro, OneManFastBreak highlighted eight of Kobe’s greatest moments.

8. Clutch 3-pointers vs. Blazers in 2004

Kobe Bryant loved coming through in the clutch. He was arguably the greatest clutch shooter in NBA history — or at least in the conversation. Back in the 2004 regular-season finale in Portland, he delivered two of the most incredible clutch shots you’ll ever see. The first one sent the game into overtime when he found enough daylight to get an off-balance 3-pointer over self-proclaimed “Kobe Stopper” Ruben Patterson. Then with one second left in the second OT, he took a pass from Gary Payton at the left wing well behind the 3-point arc, turned and fired over the long arms of Theo Ratliff, and swished it at the buzzer while falling down. The shot gave the Lakers a 105-104 win and the Pacific Division title.

7. Game-winners vs. Suns in 2000 and 2006 playoffs

Speaking of clutch, Kobe did it twice against the Phoenix Suns in the postseason. The first notable one came in Game 2 of the 2000 Western Conference semifinals. With the Lakers down 96-95 and game clock winding down, Bryant drained a midrange jumper from the left side of the free throw line over Jason Kidd with 2.6 seconds left, jogged back to the Lakers bench cupping his ear. The second dagger against the Suns came in Game 4 of the West playoffs in 2006. The Lakers ended up losing the first-round series but Kobe gave us two memorable plays in the series. He sent the game into overtime with a ridiculous circus shot under the basket. With under five seconds left in OT, he picked up the ball at midcourt after a jump ball. Took five dribbles to get to his favorite spot on the right wing and buried the game-winner over nemesis Raja Bell and Boris Diaw with no time left.

6. 62 points in three quarters vs. Mavericks, 2005

One month before Kobe’s historic 81, he exploded for 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. In those same three quarters the entire Mavericks team scored just 61 points. Because the Lakers blew out the Mavs, 112-90, Kobe never touched the floor in the fourth quarter. Phil Jackson asked Kobe if he wanted to go back in the game to try to increase his point total, thinking that he may not be able to duplicate the feat. Kobe’s answer: I can do it again. He was right.

5. 45 points vs. Spurs in 2001 conference finals

The Spurs had home-court advantage entering the 2001 Western Conference finals. The Spurs had Tim Duncan and David Robinson to matchup against Shaquille O’Neal. However, they didn’t have anyone who could matchup against Kobe. Kobe put his imprint on the series right from the start, setting the tone in Game 1 by dropping 45 points on 19-of-35 shots in a Lakers road win at the Alamodome where San Antonio is nearly unbeatable. After the game, Shaq proclaimed Kobe “the best player in the league by far.” L.A. ended up sweeping the Spurs in dominating fashion, finished the postseason 15-1 and secured a second straight NBA title.

4. 8 points in OT vs. Pacers in 2000 NBA Finals

“How good is this kid?” That was the line from play-by-play announcer Bob Costas after a 21-year-old Kobe stared down Reggie Miller and dropped a cold-blooded jumper from the top of the key. As he headed toward the Lakers bench, after Shaquille O’Neal fouled out, the cameras caught Bryant pushing both hands down as if to say “I got this.” Moments later, Bryant sealed the game with a reverse put-back off a Brian Shaw miss. It was the official coming-out-party for Bryant as he led the L.A. Lakers to a crucial road victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. The main headline in the Los Angeles Times sports section read “Eight is enough.” The Lakers would eventually win the series in six games to break the franchise’s 12-year championship drought.

3. Alley-oop to Shaq vs. Blazers in 2000 conference finals

The careers of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are connected at the hip. Their off-the-court problems were well chronicled. But on the court, Kobe and Shaq were very much in sync. The play that defined their partnership and launched the Lakers dynasty in the 2000s was the alley-oop that capped off the epic comeback against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Late in the fourth with the Lakers clinging to a four-point lead with under one minute remaining, Kobe was hounded by all-time great defender Scottie Pippen in the middle of the floor. Kobe gave him a subtle wiggle going to his right, which made Pippen bite hard. Once he got Pippen to commit, Kobe crossed him over and attacked the middle of the defense. When two Blazers collapsed on him, Kobe floated a high lob toward the basket that only Shaq could reach. Shaq seemingly elevated like Superman, caught the ball with his right hand and threw it down with so much force it may have triggered a small earthquake in L.A. Fans at the brand new Staples Center erupted as they sensed something special just happened. The Kobe-to-Shaq alley-oop sent the Lakers back to the NBA Finals after a nine-year absence.

2. 81 points vs. Raptors, 2006

I was working in the L.A. Times newsroom when I witnessed one of the most amazing things I’ve ever since in my lifetime. Through most of the day on Jan. 22, 2006, the big news was about the NFL playoffs. When the Lakers-Raptors game finally got done, Kobe moved our NFL coverage below the fold. The box score read: Kobe Bryant, 46 field goal attempts, 28 field goals made, 7-for-13 from 3-point range, 18-for-20 from the free throw line, six rebounds, two assists, one block, three steals, and 81 points. Let me repeat that last line. Eighty-one points! He scored 81 of the Lakers’ 122 points. It was the second-most points scored in an NBA game. Only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962 tops it. But Wilt was a 7-footer playing in a era with fewer big men who could keep him out of the low block. Kobe did most of his damage from the perimeter against better athletes. And besides. We don’t have footage of Wilt’s 100-point game. We have video evidence of Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game versus the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center. We all saw it.

1. 60 points vs. Jazz in final game, 2016

Many of you would have guessed Kobe’s 81 points against Toronto would be No. 1 on this list. It would have been had the Black Mamba not pulled off the greatest drop-the-mic moment on April 13, 2016. Bryant wrapped up his 20 NBA seasons — all with the Lakers — with one last offensive showcase, scoring 60 points in leading a terrible Lakers squad to a 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz. The game capsulized Kobe’s dynamic career. It was messy. It was ridiculous. It was magical.

Bryant played 42 minutes and took a career-high 50 shots. He was completely exhausted. Longtime Lakers TV analyst Stu Lantz pointed out that Kobe, at age 37, was so tired he could barely pick up his feet. His teammates kept setting him up for shots on nearly every possession. It was quite a remarkable scene if you know Bryant’s history with his teammates. For years and years, Kobe’s teammates have complained about his penchant for not passing the ball. On the final night of his Hall of Fame basketball career, every Laker on the court was encouraging him to shoot the ball. And he did. The Lakers started clawing their way back from a 10-point deficit with three minutes left in the fourth quarter as Kobe went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 96-95. He scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning pull-up midrange jumper from his favorite spot just above the free-throw line to make it 97-96. He extended the lead to three after two free throws to give him 60 points for the night. He exited the game with 4.1 seconds left to a rousing ovation, with chants of “Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!” ringing across Staples Center. “What else can I say?” Bryant asked fans after the game before ending with, “Mamba out!” A true Hollywood ending.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastbreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 34 jersey was retired by the Lakers. (GETTY IMAGES)

Shaquille O’Neal officially announced his retirement on June 1, 2011, and it took the Los Angeles Lakers just two years to honor The Diesel by raising his No. 34 jersey in the rafters at Staples Center on April 2, 2013. In classic Shaq fashion, he gave Lakers fans one thundering messaged: “Can you dig it!”

In a video post on Tout.com in 2011, Shaq said: “We did it. 19 years baby. I want to thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first. I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.”

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass, in 2016. The Diesel headlined the 10-member class that included Philadelphia 76ers great Allen Iverson, Chinese superstar Yao Ming, WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, longtime Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and NBA executive Jerry Reinsdorf.

O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and three-time Finals MVP, was one of the NBA’s most popular stars for what he did both on and off the court. Shaq was the most dominant big man of his era, and arguably one of the 10 best centers of all time. To honor the man with more nicknames than Apollo Creed, and arguably one of the five greatest centers in basketball, here are his 19 greatest moments for each of his 19 seasons. His glorious and colorful career brought many great highlights in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston. He won four NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP and countless outlandish one-liners. A look at his most memorable moments:

19) One of Shaq’s best attributes was his quick wit. He got a kick out of giving everyone nicknames, from teammates to opponents. He gave Paul Pierce the nickname “The Truth”; he was responsible for Dwyane Wade’s “Flash” moniker; and he tagged Tim Duncan “The Big Fundamental.” He also gave Kobe Bryant a nickname, but unfortunately we can’t publish it.

18) As a rookie in 1992-93, O’Neal brought the house down – literally – in Phoenix when he pulled down the entire basket stanchion on a follow-up dunk against Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. It was Shaq’s coming-out-party since the game was on national TV and the NBA was dying to showcase a young bright star in case Michael Jordan retires and decides to play baseball. In the same season, the legend of Shaq grew even bigger when he shattered a backboard in New Jersey with the force of his dunk, and the shot clock clipped him on the head.

17) Shaq won the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1992-93 season, helping turn the Magic into one of the biggest draws in the league. With Shaq front and center, Orlando went from a 21-win team to a 41-win team.

16) Who could forget Neon Boudeaux? OK, his performance in “Blue Chips” probably wasn’t Oscar-worthy but it pretty much summarized Shaq’s basketball career. It lacked substance at times, there were some bright moments, but overall it was extremely entertaining. “Kazaam!” and “Steel” on the other hand, were simply atrocious. Sorry, Shaq.

15) The Magic won the lottery again in 1994, trading the pick for guard Penny Hardaway. Shaq and Penny formed one of the best tandems in the league and, even though their union was short-lived, it brought the Magic to new heights, winning 50 games in 1993-94 and reaching the NBA Finals in 1995.

14) The best part about those Lakers championships during the Shaq-Kobe era was the postseason celebration. Nobody can get a crowd going better than The Big Entertainer. His rendition of “It Takes Two” in 2001 before 250,000 Laker fans gathered in front of Staples Center was easily the best championship parade in the history of parades. To cap things off, Lakers forward Mark Madsen did his little dance routine (or whatever he was doing) that left everyone in a frenzy.

13) Much has been written and said on how Hakeem Olajuwon “destroyed” Shaq in the ’95 Finals. Statistically speaking, The Diesel averaged 28 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 blocks, while Olajuwon averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks in the Rockets’ four-game sweep. Sounds like a stalemate in terms of the one-on-one matchup. Just to show there were no hard feelings between the two big men, Shaq and Hakeem shot a Taco Bell commercial in the offseason. Watching the two of them ride a tandem bike was hilarious.

12) The highlight of the 2009 All-Star game in Phoenix was The Big Cactus taking the stage and performing a dance routine with “America’s Best Dance Crew” Jabbawockeez during the pre-game festivities.

11) As a member of Team USA’s dominant 1995 World Championship team in Toronto (also known as Dream Team II), O’Neal was named MVP of the tournament despite not playing heavy minutes. He also starred on the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.

10) On March 6, 2000, Shaq celebrated his birthday with a bang! Prior to the game against the Clippers, Shaq was upset the Clippers (the home team for that night at Staples) didn’t provide him with enough tickets. He unleashed his anger on the Clippers by dropping 61 points.

9) Before LeBron James’ much-publicized “Decision” in 2010, there was “Shaq Goes to Hollywood” free-agent saga in the summer of ’96. Thanks to the bright mind of L.A. Lakers general manager Jerry West, the balance of power in the league shifted from the East Coast to the West Coast when O’Neal signed a record-setting $120-million contract to move to L.A., and then the Lakers traded for 18-year-old high school phenom Kobe Bryant on draft night. It was the beginning of the Shaq-Kobe dynasty.

8) Game 7 in Sacramento in 2002 will go down in history as one of the best playoff games in NBA history. The Lakers and Kings played an epic overtime game at Arco Arena, with the Laker prevailing and advancing to the NBA Finals. But after the game, Shaq topped his on-court performance with an off-the-court, impromptu rap dedicated to Vladic Divac. Watch and listen:

7) After being traded to the Miami Heat in summer of 2004, Shaq promised Miami fans that he’ll bring a championship to South Beach. Two years later, that promised was fulfilled as O’Neal and D-Wade led the Heat, coached by the great Pat Riley, past Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals.

6) Shaq was named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time in 1997 despite having played in only five seasons. The recognition was debated by some basketball experts, but basketball writer Peter Vecsey defended the selection, arguing that O’Neal belongs in the conversation and was already well on his way to becoming one of the dominant players the league has ever seen. As usual, Vecsey was right.

5) The Diesel was extra motivated to play the 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals because he was going up against Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo, who likes to throw his signature finger-wag each time he stuffs his opponent. Shaq never dunked the ball harder in his life during the 2001 Finals, and dropped a few devastating elbows toward Mt. Mutombo’s chest and face. There was one play in which Shaq lifted Mutombo off his feet and exploded for a one-hand slam, showing his awesome power and agility. The Lakers rolled to their second consecutive NBA title, losing only one game in the playoffs. O’Neal captured his second Finals MVP trophy. He averaged 33 points, 16 rebounds and 3.4 blocks against a Sixer squad led by 2001 MVP Allen Iverson.

4) A young 260-pound Shaq exploded onto the basketball scene when he rocked the 1989 McDonald’s High School All-American game with one ferocious coast-to-coast slam dunk. It certainly got a huge rise out of ESPN’s Dick Vitale, who said during the telecast: “Oh! Oh! Oh! I can’t believe! I can’t believe it! That’s a 7-footer!” That play launched a two-decade basketball career is certainly worthy of a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. O’Neal went on to star at LSU for three years before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992. He finished his NBA career with 28,596 points and shot 58% from the field, both marks are in the top five.

3) Shaq loved the whole Superman persona, and he finally fulfilled his kryptonian side when he pieced together one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history in 1999-2000 when he was named regular season MVP (near unanimous choice), All-Star Game MVP and NBA Finals MVP in leading the Lakers to their first NBA title since 1988. In the Lakers’ six-game series win over the Pacers in The Finals, O’Neal posted some jaw-dropping numbers: 45 minutes per game, 38 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. During his acceptance speech for winning the regular season MVP, Shaq told the media that he would like to be referred to as The Big Aristotle.

2) The Lakers needed a fantastic finish to cap their stunning comeback in Game 7 of 2000 Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers and Kobe and Shaq provided that moment. Kobe dribbled to the top of the arc, crossed over Scottie Pippen, and drove to the hoop. Kobe floated a perfect lob pass that only O’Neal and his massive 7-foot-1 frame can reach. The alley-oop dunk punctuated the Lakers’ furious rally and ignited a run of three consecutive NBA championships.

1) Shaquille O’Neal showcased his talent as an entertainer and proved that he’s more than just a basketball talent when he appeared in a music video with the rap group Fu-Schnickens in the early 1990s. It was not only the birth of Shaq Fu, but it was also the beginning of a successful career that went above and beyond the game of basketball. It was a glimpse of what was to come for the next two decades. He was the first professional athlete to cross over to the rap game and be accepted as a true hip-hop artist and not just a novelty act. Shaq appeared with Fu-Schnickens on “The Arsenio Hall Show” in 1992, and from that point on he never stopped being an entertainer. O’Neal released four albums, including “Shaq Diesel” which went platinum. Shaquille’s popularity extends outside of sports. He is a successful entrepreneur, music and film star, and his larger-than-life personality that can lift up an entire planet. He is a true global icon.

Click here to read the best quotes from Shaquille O’Neal

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

What? Did Jordan just say “shit” on national television? Wow. What a way to bust through the doors of basketball immortality. And the worst part about it, the audience thought it was hilarious. Jordan would have been better served had he just say “thanks” after tears began to flow before he spoke. But he didn’t. Though part of his speech was candid and heartfelt, a big part of it lacked humility and was very smug.

Michael Jordan, worshiped by the basketball world as the God of the Game and valedictorian of this year’s Hall-of-Fame class, showed very little class in an event that was supposed to highlight the greatness of the sport. The fact that most found his comment to be entertaining just shows the man crush we as a sports community have for Jordan, especially the local and national media.

The bro-mance between Jordan the media is worse than any reality TV show. ESPN’s Stuart Scott gushes over him. Sportswriter and PTI host Michael Wilbon worships the hardwood he walks on. And TNT/NBA TV’s Ahmad Rashad is practically Jordan’s BFF.

Michael Jordan smoked the competition during his 15-year NBA career, and he's not afraid to tell about it.

When Jordan says “jump,” we say “how high?” When Jordan says “bark like a dog,” we say “whoof! whoof!”

It just shows the incredible adulation and undying support we shower Jordan just because he’s Michael Jordan. He’s our generation’s Babe Ruth. He’s the greatest basketball player who ever lived. He’s Sho ‘Nuff, the shogun of Harlem. Bow and kiss his Nike!

It didn’t matter that Jordan had plenty of indiscretions. Because he can play above the rim, most have afforded him an above-the-law platinum card. His loyal followers  look the other way whenever his character is questioned, ignoring his gambling problem, his infidelities and his bullish ways.

He certainly displayed that lack of regard throughout his induction speech.

He made fun of Jeff Van Gundy, calling him “the little guy” on Pat Riley’s coaching staff, brushed off Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas for the so-called “freeze out” during the 1985 All-Star Game (talk about holding a grudge), called out former Utah Jazz guard Bryon Russell, and basically threw his former GM Jerry Krause under the buss.

Jordan reopened a decade-long wound by remembering Krause’s infamous “organizations win championships, not players” statement. Jordan’s response to that was: organizations did not play sick in Game 5 vs. the Jazz in 1997, organizations did not play through a bum ankle vs. the Celtics in 1986, and organizations did not hit game-winning shots in the NBA Finals.

Basically, Jordan gave the big middle finger to the man who helped him win six NBA titles and the architect of building the Chicago Bulls Dynasty with his acquisitions of Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Ron Harper, Steve Kerr, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and the hiring of coach Phil Jackson.

I guess Air Jordan didn’t mind airing his dirty laundry in front of the world, and forgot all the good things Krause did for the “organization.”

C’mon, Mike. We all know how good you are. You don’t have to rub it in our faces.

Jordan mentioned his children but wasn’t exactly poignant in his delivery. He mentioned how much tickets at the Hall of Fame Gala have gone up to $1,000, showing Jordan’s disdain for throwing money around – unless it’s on the golf course or at the casino table.

Jordan tries to portray himself as a family man but his home life is not exactly picture perfect. A colleague once told me that Jordan’s alleged extramarital relations puts Magic Johnson’s rumored sexcapades to shame. Jordan mentioned his ex-wife, Juanita, who was noticeably absent from the festivities, but failed to recognize his gal pal Yvette Prieto, who sat next to him on the front row. Somewhere out there, Karla Knafel is also fuming.

On a night that was supposed to celebrate the game of basketball, Jordan found a way to muck it up, sticking his tongue out and showing the ugly side of his personality.

If you based everything on regular statistics, then Stockton has to be at the top of list because he retired with the most assists (15,806) and steals (3,265) in NBA history.

However, playoff performances are the barometer for true greatness. When you include that in the debate, then Stockton would take a backseat to Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas and Oscar Robertson. Johnson won five NBA championships with the L.A. Lakers, Thomas won two with the Detroit Pistons and The Big O won a title late in his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. Stockton was 0-2 in the NBA Finals with the Utah Jazz.

The only thing missing in the Hall-of-Fame basketball career of Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton is an NBA championship ring.

Stockton had an opportunity to put his imprint in the game of basketball, but was unable to seize the moment. He struggled to break loose from Ron Harper, whose 6-foot-6 frame really bothered the 6-0 Stockton during the 1997 Finals and the ’98 Finals. In fact, the length of the Bulls squad bothered Stockton, period. All those bounce passes off pick-and-rolls with basketball BFF Karl Malone were snuffed by the Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Harper.

And in the waning moments of the ’98 Finals, Stockton had a chance to upstage Jordan when the Jazz had the final possession after Jordan hit his famous push-off jumper over Byron Russell at the top of the key. But Stockton missed at the buzzer, and Jordan lifted six fingers in the air to celebrate the Bulls’ six dynastic titles during the 1990s.

That pretty much will be the overwhelming sentiment and the harsh reality Stockton will face for the rest of his life. It is the same cruel fate dealt to NBA greats such as Malone, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins and George Gervin.

Stockton will always have that big void in his resume. It’s the “Dan Marino Syndrome.” Marino owned all those NFL passing records but was never considered the best of the all time because he was never part of a Super Bowl championship team. Joe Montana is considered by many as the best of all time because he won four Super Bowls during his career.

The fact of the matter is, the number of championships won is the ultimate tie-breaker when it comes to best-in-the-biz arguments. It’s the reason why we rank Jordan ahead of Magic, Magic ahead of Larry Bird, and why the NBA Finals most valuable player is named after 11-time champion Bill Russell instead of six-time champ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and two-time champ Wilt Chamberlain.

Those two losses in the NBA Finals will unfortunately define Stockton’s legacy.

Noteworthy

When the original Dream Team was being assemble to compete in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the selection committee chose Stockton over Thomas. It wasn’t Stockton’s fault that he was picked to be Magic Johnson’s backup, but the very political deliberation didn’t sit well with Thomas.

During a regular season game between Detroit and Utah in 1992, Thomas lit up Stockton for 40 points in a very one-sided matchup. Now, it probably mattered very little since Jordan and Pippen privately put the word out to the USA Basketball committee that they refuse to play with a Motor City Bad Boy such as Thomas, forcing the committee to play it safe and opting for Stockton.

David Robinson will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 11.

David Robinson will go down in basketball lore as one of the greatest to ever play the game. As validation, he will be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., later this month as part of one of the best Hall of Fame classes in recent memory, a class that includes Michael Jordan and John Stockton.

His resume stands out like a 7-foot-1 Ensign in the United States Naval Academy: two-time NBA world champion, won MVP in 1995, Defensive Player of the Year in 1992, Rookie of the Year in 1990, four-time NBA first-team selection, Olympic gold medalist in 1992, 10-time All-Star and selected one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. He also scored 71 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in the final regular-season game in 1994 to win the scoring title.

It is hard to compare Robinson to anyone in the league because he was unique. He was a chiseled 7-footer with zero body fat who could run the floor like a guard. He could post up, face up and shoot, and defense was stout. His quickness and length made it extremely hard on the opposition to score on him. He had some great battles with fellow Hall-of-Famer centers Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing throughout the 1990s.

David Robinson proudly wears a Manu Ginobili jersey during a San Antonio Spurs game.

Aside from being a great player, Robinson was also selfless. When the San Antonio Spurs selected Tim Duncan with the first pick in the 1997 NBA draft, Robinson accepted the role of secondary player and allowed Duncan to grow into his role as the focal point of the Spurs’ franchise. With Robinson manning the center spot and Duncan providing plenty of power at the forward position, the Spurs won NBA titles in 1999 and 2003.

Despite all of his accomplishments on the court, the man known as The Admiral has had a bigger impact off the court.

Robinson’s legacy includes being one of the preeminent philanthropists in all of professional sports. On March 23, 2003, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that future winners of the NBA Community Assist Award would receive the David Robinson Plaque, with the inscription, “Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson, who improved the community piece by piece.”

Among Robinson’s charitable achievements was his $9 million commitment toward the construction and operation of The Carver Academy, an independent school for San Antonio students from a culturally diverse community. Receiving a good education was a big part of Robinson’s life, and that was never muddled even when he was earning millions as a pro athlete. Though sports afforded him a lifestyle most would envy, Robinson was always preaching school work and going to class.

He was a stand-up guy and one of the real “nice guys,” not just in basketball but in all of sports. But it also gave the impression that Robinson was too soft. Radio shock-jock Jim Rome once called him “The Little Mermaid,” mocking Robinson’s affinity for the Disney movie. Sports Illustrated tabbed him “Saint David” for being too good to be true.

But it’s true. David Robinson was a saint. He was also a class act.

I had an opportunity to meet Robinson two years ago at Staples Center  in Los Angeles. The Lakers had just defeated the San Antonio Spurs, the only team Robinson played for during his 14-year career. As I was walking out of the arena, I saw Robinson and his son headed in the same direction. For a man who had been retired for four years, The Admiral looked like he could still beat half the centers in the league. He was in phenomenal shape.

I approached him and said, “I think we just got a preview of the Western Conference finals.” Robinson replied: “You guys got a good team.” Then, as we crossed Figueroa Street en route to the parking structures, a group of people began harassing Robinson for autographs and pictures. He didn’t turn down a single one.

As he got close to his ride, I told Robinson “good luck with everything.” He then shook my hand and said, “Nice to meet you.” Now, it wasn’t much but a handshake from The Great David Robinson goes a long way in my book.