The Growth Spurts That Made a Hall of Famer

Some Hall of Famers are destined for greatness from an early age, standing head and shoulders above their peers. Others, like David Robinson, take a different path — one that involves an extraordinary late growth spurt that changed the trajectory of their lives. 

Robinson’s journey from an overlooked high school athlete to an NBA legend is one of the most fascinating transformations in basketball history.

A Late Bloomer on the Court

For much of his childhood, David Robinson was an ordinary kid. In fact, as a junior in high school, he stood just 5-foot-9 — a height that hardly screamed “future NBA superstar.” Unlike many of his future peers, he wasn’t dominating AAU circuits or attending elite basketball camps. He simply wasn’t on anyone’s radar.

Then, everything changed.

During his senior year, Robinson shot up an incredible nine inches in a single year, reaching 6-foot-6 by the time he graduated. This sudden transformation forced a change in his athletic outlook. Encouraged by his high school coach, he joined the basketball team, where his natural athleticism allowed him to make an impact despite his lack of experience. 

He earned all-area and all-district honors, but because his rise had been so recent, college scouts had already moved on. He remained largely under the radar.

An Unexpected Star at the Naval Academy

While Robinson’s height may have helped him on the court, it almost cost him his future in the U.S. Navy. When he entered the Naval Academy in 1983, he was already pushing the Academy’s 6-foot-6 height limit for midshipmen. By the time classes began that fall, he had grown another inch, to 6-foot-7, and was granted a waiver to remain at the Academy.

Surely, that would be the end of his growth, right?

Not even close.

By the start of his sophomore year, Robinson had surged to 7-foot-1, an unprecedented leap from his 5-foot-9 frame just a few years prior. The newfound height, combined with his athletic ability and sharp mind for the game, transformed him into a dominant force in college basketball. He became the best player in Naval Academy history, winning the Naismith College Player of the Year Award in 1987 and leading Navy to national prominence.

Ironically, his towering height — which had unlocked so many opportunities — ultimately disqualified him from active service on Navy ships. But it also secured him a different kind of future: a legendary career in the NBA.

A Hall of Fame Legacy

Robinson was selected as the first overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs, but he had to fulfill his Naval service commitment before joining the team in 1989. When he did, he immediately became one of the league’s most dominant centers. Over the next two decades, he would cement his place as one of basketball’s all-time greats, winning:

• Two NBA Championships (1999, 2003)
• NBA MVP (1995)
• 10× NBA All-Star
• Defensive Player of the Year (1992)
• Two Olympic Gold Medals (1992, 1996)

Robinson’s journey from an overlooked high schooler to a Hall of Famer is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and the unpredictable power of nature. His late growth spurt may have been unexpected, but what he did with it was entirely in his control.

Today, Robinson remains an inspiration not just for athletes, but for anyone whose path to success isn’t immediate. Sometimes, all it takes is one major growth spurt — physically or otherwise — to change everything.