9. “The Admiral” David Robinson
In part because of what Tim Duncan has meant to the San Antonio Spurs over the past decade and a half, today’s fans sometimes forget just how incredible David Robinson was over his time in San Antonio. On both ends of the floor, the big center was a dominant force that essentially always made the Spurs relevant in terms of their success. He was a leader for a franchise, which is just one reason why “The Admiral” was the perfect nickname for him.
As stated, his leadership in both performance and personality alone made the nickname for Robinson appropriate. However, the moniker was only made better by the fact that Robinson also served as an officer in the United States Navy after playing basketball for the Navy Midshipmen in the mid-80s. So not only was it a nickname that described his importance to the Spurs, but one that also honored Robinson’s roots as someone who served in the military.
“The Admiral” was incredible in his time in the league and, at the end of his career alongside Duncan, was able to get two titles with the Spurs for his trouble. Even better than his performance over his career, though, is his nickname. As far as those go, there aren’t many better than “The Admiral.”
Next: No. 8 The Mailman