The Year David Robinson Ended Michael Jordan’s NBA Scoring Leader Streak
Turning on the radio in 1993, Whitney Houston ruled the airwaves with songs like “I Will Always Love You,” “I’m Every Woman,” and “I Have Nothing,” with rap and hip-hop filling in Top 40 stations with hits like “Nuthin but a ‘G’ Thang,” “Rump Shaker,” and “Ditty”.
On the NBA hardwood, a new era was starting, albeit a sad one at first, life without Michael Jordan. But with MJ in the minor leagues trying to hit wicked breaking pitches with the Chicago White Sox, there was a slew of fantastic talents waiting to take his spot.
In the scoring ranks, David Robinson was front and center.
At the end of the 1992-93 NBA season, the MVP was Charles Barkley. Barkley took the Phoenix Suns to the finals after beating the Seattle SuperSonics to face off against the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The Bulls got their three-peat with MJ earning Finals MVP.
Down in San Antonio, the Spurs used the top pick in the 1987 draft on Robinson waiting two years for him to serve out his duty in the U.S. Navy. A rookie during the 1989-90 schedule, Robinson was a double-double machine being named 1990 Rookie of the Year.
By the start of the 1993-94 campaign, Robinson had already led the NBA in rebounding (1991, 13.0) and blocks (1992, 4.5), earned Defensive Player of the Year (1992), and was a four-time All-Star with MVP votes each year.
On Oct. 6, 1993, the world of basketball was in shock and denial by the retirement of Jordan.
Starting in the 1986-87 schedule, Jordan ruled the league with seven consecutive scoring titles posting a personal best of 37.09 in ’86-87. Jordan’s final season before his first retirement, he averaged 32.58 points per game with Dominique Wilkins (29.9), Karl Malone (27.0), Hakeem Olajuwon (26.1), and Charles Barkley (25.6) trailing him.
Robinson finished ninth on the leaderboard posting 23.4 ppg.
With the best player in the league no longer lacing up the high tops, the race was on for a new scoring leader, new MVP, and, maybe, a new NBA champion.
Before the season began, moves were made with Orlando trading draft pick Chris Webber to the Golden State Warriors for point guard Penny Hardaway to pair with center Shaquille O’Neal.
On Oct. 1, 1993, Dennis Rodman was traded from the Detroit Pistons to San Antonio for Sean Elliott. Playing power forward for the Spurs, Rodman would lead the league in rebounds (17.3) and hair dye during the season.
One legend, Isiah Thomas, would retire due to a torn Achilles tendon, and another, Magic Johnson, would have a one-and-done career as a head coach after LA missed the playoffs for just the fourth time in team history.
Other eras were ending, the Bulls playing in Chicago Stadium, Cleveland in Richfield Coliseum, and the Spurs in the Alamodome. In Atlanta, the unthinkable happened, the Hawks traded all-time great Wilkins to the Clippers for… Danny Manning. And for the first time ever, neither the Lakers nor Celtics made the playoffs.
Filling the void of greatness, the Houston Rockets jumped out to a 22-1 record, starting the year with 15 consecutive victories.
A different Bulls’ player took home All-Star Game MVP honors, Scottie Pippen.
On the path to being the player to take over as the NBA scoring leader, on Feb. 17, against the Pistons, Robinson recorded the league’s fourth and last quadruple-double with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks.
In Orlando, O’Neal was leading the Magic into the postseason for the first time in franchise history. His second year in the league, Shaq was tearing through teams, scoring at a clip of 29.3 per game with 13.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks.
The back and forth between the dominating centers for the scoring title went down to the final day of the season. To close it out, Robinson scored 71 points against the Clippers to win the scoring title on 26-of-41 shooting from the field, that included a 3-pointer, and 18 of 25 from the free-throw line. The 71 points scored broke the Spurs’ franchise record previously set by George “Iceman” Gervin’s 63 in 1977-78.
Gervin’s record night was also wrapped around a scoring title beating out Nuggets’ shooting guard David Thompson. Thompson scored 73 points in his final game of the season in an attempt to win the crown but came up seven hundredths of a point shy, 27.22 to 27.15.
The ’93-94 season ended with Olajuwon earning MVP and Defensive POY, Webber taking home ROY honors, Dell Curry being named Sixth Man of the Year, and Lenny Wilkens was tabbed Coach of the Year. Because of Olajuwon, Robinson didn’t even earn First Team All-NBA.
The Spurs posted a 55-27 record, three games behind the Rockets (58-24) in the Midwest Division, fourth overall in the Western Conference. The SuperSonics had the best record in the NBA (63-19), but the Olajuwon-led Rockets were too much for any team in the postseason topping the Knicks for the championship. San Antonio was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by the Jazz (3-1).
The following year, O’Neal won his first of two scoring titles (29.30 ppg; second 1999-00, 29.67 ppg) and then MJ returned winning three more scoring titles.
Robinson wasn’t done leaving his impact on the NBA. He was a 10-time All-NBA selection, a 10-time All-Star, and was named the league’s MVP in 1995. Robinson averaged 27.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game on the way to his MVP trophy.
The thing missing from his outstanding career was finally had in 1999, an NBA championship. Robinson would win his second with Tim Duncan and company in 2003.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice inducted Robinson, once for his individual career and a second time as being part of the Dream Team in 1992.
In the Hobby
Although one of the NBA’s top 50 players, Robinson rookie cards are easy to find and easy on the budget.
1989-90 Hoops #138 David Robinson RC
Values: $3 raw, $400-plus graded 10
*Different services also label the following cards as Robinson rookie cards; Beckett does not.
1989-90 Hoops #310 David Robinson IA
Values: $3, $60-plus graded 10
1990-91 Hoops #270 David Robinson
Values: $1.15, $50-plus graded 10
1990-91 Skybox #260 David Robinson
Values: $1.25, $35-plus graded 10
1990-91 Fleer #172 David Robinson
Values: $1.30, $25-plus graded 10
1991 Hoops 100 Superstars #89 David Robinson
Values: $2 raw
1992-93 (Topps) Stadium Club #191 David Robinson
Values: $1.30
1992 (Star Pics) Kellogg’s Raisin Bran College Greats David Robinson Postcard
Values: $2.50
1994-95 Fleer All-Defensive #8 David Robinson
Values: $1.50
1995-96 Topps Power Boosters #283 David Robinson
Values: $5.50
**Check the value of your sports cards with Beckett’s Online Price Guide.
