David Robinson joins The Association
David Robinson looks ahead to the 2026-27 NBA season with NBA TV.
David Robinson compiled one of the greatest resumes in NBA history after being selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 1 overall pick in 1987. The two-time NBA champion, 1995 NBA MVP, 1992 Defensive Player of the Year, 1994 scoring champ and 10-time All-Star spoke with NBA.com about Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ development, and the “incredible” skills of fellow center Nikola Jokić.
Editor’s Note: The following conversation has been condensed and edited.
NBA.com: When you watch Victor Wembanyama today, what can he do that you’re not sure anyone else can? And what’s the next adjustment that could make him even harder to play against?
David Robinson: Well, he’s got that balance of things. He can block 10 shots, he can get you 10 assists, he can make five 3-pointers, he can dunk on you from the free-throw line – he’s got an incredible balance of things he can do and he’s got the mentality of the stud. I mean, how many guys do you know who have the Michael Jordan-Kobe Bryant mentality, and the level of talent? I think he’s poised for incredible success.
You know that great defense doesn’t always appear in the box score. As fans watch Wemby this season, what should they look for beyond his blocks to understand how he changes opponents’ offense?
It’s not easy for the average fan to see it, but if you want to kind of keep count: Count how many times they shoot in the paint when he’s in there. Count how many times they drive, look, and then go the other direction. Those are huge deals. There’s not a stat for it necessarily, but it does change the way your offense operates. And if you know that guy’s anywhere near you, it just changes the way you think. And I saw that happen many, many times last year.
In the playoffs, as you watched Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper grow together, what would you tell this group? How can you tell they’re ready to win a championship? Is there a moment from your own career that taught you what it takes?
Well, I think they’re ready because of the experience last year. You have to go through the battles, and you have to learn physically and mentally what it takes to go all the way to the end. And they were right at the end. They were three games away from being able to win a championship.
So, that transforms you, right? Some of our young guys had been around for six, seven years and never experienced any of that. And now they’re battle-hardened guys that know that they have what it takes to win a championship. It’s a very, very different having the mentality to understand that you are there.
We’re not short of anything. It’s not like you’re wondering, “What do we need to win? What else do we need to add?” No, you don’t need to add anything. You’re right there, and now it’s a matter of you just executing. So that’s a real confidence builder, and I think our young guys are just there. Now it’s a matter of stay healthy, play games, do what you need to do the same way the Spurs came back in 2014.
That was a brutal loss [in the 2013 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat] – and they came back [to win the Finals the next year]. It’s one thing to know you’re right there and you got the pieces.
What about Nikola Jokić with Wemby as well. What excites you about just how big men are shaping the game?
He’s like Wemby in a lot of ways in that he can do things no one else can do. He sees the floor incredibly well. He rebounds. He passes. He does everything well. Maybe not as intimidating a presence, but an incredible facilitator.
Those guys, they’re on a different level. There are no other players like them at the moment, and what can you say? The guy, he’s already proven himself.
