Nate Robinson

31
Nate Robinson bigraphy, stories - American basketball player

Nate Robinson : biography

May 31, 1984 –

Nathaniel Cornelius "Nate" Robinson (born May 31, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Chicago Bulls of the NBA.

Born in Seattle, Robinson played college basketball at the University of Washington in Seattle and was the 21st pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Before signing with the Bulls, Robinson was a point guard for the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Golden State Warriors. Robinson is the NBA’s first three-time slam dunk champion.

High school

Robinson spent his first two years of high school at Rainier Beach High School in Seattle. He moved to Union City, California, where he played for James Logan High School for one year, and then returned to Rainier Beach. At Beach, he excelled in basketball, football and track. He led his basketball team to a 28–1 record and won the AAA state championship as a senior with University of Louisville star Terrence Williams, USC alumnus Lodrick Stewart, and former University of Kansas player Rodrick Stewart. He averaged 17.9 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals per game as a senior in 2002, and was named the AAA State player of the year in Washington. He led his team to a no. 7 national ranking in USA Today. Rainier Beach retired Robinson’s No. 2 jersey on September 10, 2010.

College

Robinson led the Washington Huskies to two straight NCAA basketball tournament appearances, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance during his junior year . At the end of that season he was named a third-team Associated Press and National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American .

Robinson also played football at the University of Washington. Robinson’s college football career is most remembered for his interception in the final minutes of regulation of the 2002 Apple Cup against the Washington State Cougars, who were at the time ranked #3 in the AP poll. With minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Cougars leading by three points, Robinson intercepted a pass thrown by Matt Kegel intended for 6’6" Mike Bush. The Huskies scored a field goal on the ensuing possession and won the game in triple overtime.

NBA career

New York Knicks

2005–06

Robinson was the 21st selection of the 2005 NBA Draft, chosen by the Phoenix Suns before being traded to the New York Knicks with Quentin Richardson for Kurt Thomas and the draft rights to second-round pick (54th overall) Dijon Thompson .

Robinson played in 72 games his rookie year, starting 26 of them, while averaging 9.3 points and 2.0 assists per game. He had a major breakout performance against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden where he scored 17 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Of his 17 points, three came on a game-winning three-pointer at the overtime buzzer over his boyhood idol, Allen Iverson. During the All-Star weekend, Robinson won the 2006 Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Contest, edging Andre Iguodala 141–140 in an unprecedented overtime, although he took 14 attempts to make his final dunk. In his most memorable dunk of the night, he jumped over 1986 champion Spud Webb, and received a perfect 50-point score for the dunk. During the 2005–06 season, Robinson was reportedly involved in physical altercations between teammates Jerome James and Malik Rose in separate incidents. He was at one point considered by Knicks’ coach Larry Brown to be demoted to the NBA Development League. He was instead placed on the Inactive List for 10 games between February 24 and March 11.

2006–07

On December 16, 2006, Robinson was one of the primary participants in the brawl between the Denver Nuggets and the Knicks. His fight with Nuggets guard J. R. Smith landed in the seats, and he was suspended for 10 games as a result.

Robinson competed in the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest to defend his 2006 title, and came in second place after Gerald Green. In the second round, Green’s Boston Celtics teammate Paul Pierce brought out a cardboard cut-out of Robinson to dunk over, but Robinson came out and stood in its place instead, and Green jumped over him to complete the dunk.