50 Greatest NBA/ABA Players Not In the Hall Of Fame
By Phil Watson
Copyright 1986 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
The San Antonio Spurs selected Arkansas guard Alvin Robertson with the seventh overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft and after a rookie year adjusting to the NBA, his star rose rapidly.
Robertson was both the Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Improved Player in 1985-86, earning All-NBA honors as well.
He was also a four-time All-Defensive selection with the Spurs, leading the NBA in steals and steals per game in 1985-86 (301, 3.7) and 1986-87 (260, 3.2).
In May 1989, Robertson was traded with Greg Anderson and a second-round pick in 1989 to the Milwaukee Bucks for Terry Cummings and a 1990 second-rounder.
Robertson was a two-time All-Defensive pick with the Bucks, leading the NBA again in steals and steals per game in 1990-91 (246, 3.0).
He was traded to the Detroit Pistons in February 1993 for Orlando Woolridge and finished the season in Motown before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in November 1993 along with a conditional second-round pick in 1995 for Mark Macon and Marcus Liberty.
However, a back injury sidelined Robertson for the entire season and in October 1994, the Nuggets waived the four-time All-Star.
He sat out the 1994-95 season before signing as a free agent with the expansion Toronto Raptors in October 1995.
After one more season, the Raptors released Robertson in July 1996.
He played a season with the Florida Beachdogs of the Continental Basketball Association in 1996-97 before retiring. Since retiring, Robertson has had a string of run-ins with law enforcement.
In 10 seasons, Robertson averaged 14 points, 5.2 rebounds, five assists and 2.7 steals in 31.7 minutes per game, shooting .477/.295/.743.
He is 10th in NBA history with 2,112 steals and his steals per game average is the highest in NBA annals.