Few athletes past and present have defied our conceptions of what makes a star professional athlete. It takes a specially gifted individual to convince us that size doesn't matter in a game where the average player height is 6 feet, seven inches, and the average weight hovers around 222 lbs.
New Golden State Warriors guard Nate Robinson is reminding us yet again to put aside our preconceptions and watch him do his thing. At 5'9, Nate is showing Bay Area basketball fans the skills that made him the Phoenix Suns 21st selection of the 2005 NBA draft (traded to New York Knicks.)
Best remembered for winning three all-star slam dunk competitions, one in which he jumped over Spud Webb, another specially gifted smaller man, Nate is making Warriors fans believe once again.
On Tuesday night with guard Stephen Curry out attending to "the ankle that just won't heal," Nate led the Warriors to a 111-106 overtime victory against the Miami Heat in Oakland. Tonight Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic come to town to test the Mark Jackson coached Warriors. If the Magic think they'll be going up against the same old Warriors team then they're in for an awakening.
The Golden State Warriors have a chip on their shoulder, everyone assumes they're not serious NBA championship contenders. Based on recent playoff history (1 appearance in 18 seasons), it's a valid assumption.
It takes special players like Nate Robinson to help a struggling team see themselves not as others have in the past but as they hope to see themselves in the future; winners. The Golden State Warriors are beginning to see themselves in a new winning light. Thanks Nate!
