If you were going to make a list of the best athletes to ever come out of the state of Washington 5-foot-9 Nate Robinson would certainly be on the list. Maybe at the top of it. To borrow a phrase from this generation, ‘Dude’s a Freak.’
The former Rainier Beach and University of Washington star and current NBA guard with the N.Y. Knicks has been on a roll since just before the All-Star break. The 5-foot-9 (that’s what he’s listed at) dynamo still holds the state record in the 110 high hurdles, he started at cornerback on the Husky football team and likely could have been an NFL defensive back/kick returner. And now the rest of the country is starting to see what kind of an electrying basketball player he is.
His Superman-like leap over 7-foot Dwight Howard in the slam dunk contest was the talk of the NBA’s All-Star weekend which earned him an appearance on the David Letterman. Wearing the same leprechaun green uniform — and new Nike shoes made special for him — Robinson leaped over stage manager Biff Henderson. Letterman also got in a few good lines. Here’s the video.
Robinson’s also elevated his play on the basketball court. He came off the bench on Monday night to score a season-high 41 points, 32 in the second half of a 123-119 win over Indianapolis. He also had eight rebounds. Over his last six games he’s averaging 30 points, 7.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds.
