On This Date in Sports February 17, 1994: Robinson Quad-Double
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs becomes the fourth player to record a quadruple-double in NBA history, as his team records a 115-96 win over the Detroit Pistons at the Alamodome. Robinson gets the quadruple double by scoring a game-high 34 points, with ten rebounds, ten assists, and ten blocked shots. The other quadruple doubles were recorded by Nate Thurmond, Alvin Robertson, and Hakeem Olajuwon.
David Robinson was born August 6, 1965, in Key West, Florida, where his father was in the Navy. After his father retired from military service the family settled in Woodbridge, Virginia. Robinson had minimal interest from college basketball recruiters but drew the attention of the U.S. Naval academy after recording 1320 on his SAT. After arriving in Annapolis, Robinson had a growth spurt and quickly became the top basketball player in the history of the Midshipman program. Despite a required two-year service in the Navy, David Robinson was the first player chosen in the 1987 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
David Robinson proved to be worth the wait for the Spurs, as he was named Rookie of the Year for the 1989/90 season and quickly became one of the best big men in the NBA. Robinson was the only member of the 1992 Olympic Dream Team in Barcelona that had played on the last amateur team at the 1988 games in Seoul, taking home a Bronze Medal. Robinson was already an established star, entering the 1993/94 season. That year the Spurs got a boost from the acquisition of Dennis Rodman and became one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
David Robinson would win his first scoring title in 1994, averaging 29.8 points per game. Coached by John Lucas the Spurs entered the game against the Pistons, with a record of 36-14, while the Pistons at the beginning of a period of rebuilding were 12-31 under Don Chaney. The game was close through the first half, as the Spurs held a 50-47 lead at the break. They would blow the game open in the second half, outscoring Detroit 31-21 in the third quarter as they won going away 115-96. David Robinson scored a game-high 34 points, with ten rebounds, ten assists and ten blocked shots in recording the fourth quadruple-double in NBA history.
The first quadruple-double was recorded by Nate Thurmond of the Chicago Bulls on October 18, 1974, scoring 22 points, with 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocked shots on Opening Night against the Atlanta Hawks. Robinson was the fourth player in NBA history to have a quadruple-double, but the second to do it on the San Antonio Spurs as Alvin Robertson did it against the Phoenix Suns on February 18, 1986, with 20 points, 11 rebounds, ten assists, and ten steals. Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets was at one time credited with two quadruple doubles in the March of 1990. However, a review stripped Olajuwon of one of his assists in a March 3rd game against the Golden State Warriors as he finished with 29 points, 18 rebounds, 11 blocks and nine assists. Four weeks later on March 29, 1990, Hakeem Olajuwon would get the quadruple double with 18 points, 16 rebounds, ten assists, and 11 blocked shots against the Milwaukee Bucks.
All four players that had quadruple doubles did it at home, with his team emerging victorious. There has not been another since David Robinson on this date in 1994.