When David Robinson was young, he had one goal--he wanted to be a student at the United States Naval Academy. He reached that goal, and along the way earned his nickname, "The Admiral." After growing to seven-feet-one-inch tall, he set another goal--to be the best player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Voted the College Basketball Player of the Year in 1987, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1990, NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1992, and NBA Most Valuable Player in 1995, Robinson has come a long way toward reaching his new goal. An example of how to play basketball on the court, and a role model in his personal life, Robinson is the San Antonio Spurs' "commander in chief."

David Maurice Robinson was born August 6, 1965, in Key West, Florida, and grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His father, Ambrose, was a naval officer, and his mother, Freda, was a...