Alvin Robertson

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Olympic medal record
Men's basketball
Gold	1984 Los Angeles	United States

Alvin Cyrrale Robertson (born July 22, 1962 in Barberton, Ohio) is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association from 1984 to 1993, and for one final season in 1995-96.

Best known for his defense, the 6'3" Robertson played for several teams over his ten-year career after being selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the seventh pick in the 1984 NBA Draft out of Crowder Junior College and the University of Arkansas. He played five seasons for the Spurs, and with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Detroit Pistons and the Toronto Raptors.

In 1986, Robertson became the inaugural winner of the NBA Most Improved Player Award. This also marked the first of four National Basketball Association All-Star Game appearances for the guard (the others coming in 1987, 1988, and 1991). He also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1986, and led the league in steals in 1986, 1987 and 1991. Robertson still holds the top career steals-per-game average in the NBA, with 2.71 per contest over 779 career games.

Robertson twice led the league in steals. In 1985-86 he averaged a league-leading 3.67 steals per game, a major factor in his earning the Defensive Player of the Year honor and being selected second-team All-NBA, one of only four players in club history to have been selected first, second or third-team All-NBA. He was a three-time All-Star. Only George Gervin, David Robinson and Tim Duncan have represented the Spurs in more All-Star Games.

Robertson led the Spurs in steals four of the five seasons he was with the club, three times averaging more than three per game. Though he played only five seasons in San Antonio, he ranks second in club history in total steals, with 1,129.

Robertson, a member of 1984 U.S. Olympic gold-medal team, was not one-dimensional. He averaged 16.2 points, on 48 percent shooting, and 5.4 rebounds over his five seasons. He might have remained with the Spurs longer had it not been for off-the-court problems that continue to plague him.

Robertson is one of only four NBA players to record a quadruple-double (double digits in four statistical categories in a single game) when he registered 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals whilst playing for the Spurs against the Phoenix Suns. He is also the only player to do so with steals as the fourth category (the other three were with blocks).

In 1994, the Detroit Pistons traded Robertson to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for underachievers Mark Macon and Marcus Liberty. However, he never actually saw any playing time for the Nuggets due to pre-existing back injuries.

Robertson scored the first points in Toronto Raptors' history. Ed Pinckney won the franchise's opening tip-off, and Robertson hit a three-pointer and the Raptors were alive and ahead 3-0.

In August of 1997, he pleaded no contest to four misdemeanor charges of abusing a former girlfriend and was sentenced to one year in prison. He also spent a month in jail during the 1990 NBA off-season for reportedly beating his then-wife. Alvin Robertson was arrested again in San Antonio, Texas on May 20, 2006.