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“They were showing all football stuff” – Nate Robinson recalls his bizarre 2005 Draft Night experience
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- “They were showing all football stuff” – Nate Robinson recalls his bizarre 2005 Draft Night experience
Nate Robinson was one of the most entertaining players to watch in the NBA, mainly because of his unreal athleticism despite standing at only 5'9″. How ridiculous Robinson's physique actually was is shown by the fact that he won the Dunk Contest three times in his career.
However, he was a valuable rotation piece on many rosters, as evidenced by his 11 years in the NBA, during which Robinson averaged 11.0 points and 3.0 assists per game. His best playing days and most memorable moments happened with the New York Knicks , when he averaged a career high in scoring and was voted third for the Sixth Man of the Year.
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Still, the most remarkable thing from the New York era was the day he got drafted.
Robinson had a special video on Draft Night
Despite thriving as a basketball player, Robinson was also dominant in football, so much so that he actually played one season in college. After that, he focused exclusively on basketball, which eventually paid off, as he was selected 21st overall by the Knicks in 2005.
But on the Draft Night, when it was supposed to be all about making it into the NBA, Robinson remembered football reentering the picture.
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" It was weird because when they showed, you know, when I got drafted, when they showed people's highlights, they were showing all football stuff. Yeah, they were showing all my football highlights and then they did show like a couple clips of basketball," said Robinson.
Robinson watched the Draft with his closest friends
Robinson mentioned on the "Stories Untold" podcast that football videos were shown to highlight his athleticism. But he didn't care. For him, that video showed that all the work he put in paid off, whether in football or basketball.
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Because he was selected late in the first round, Robinson didn't experience sitting in the green room and going to the podium when his name was called. Going to the green room didn't motivate him in any way. Instead, he gathered all the important people in his life and awaited one of his proudest moments.
" It was just a great day. I remember like it was yesterday. I had a lots of friends and family at my house; I wasn't one of those guys that got invited to the green room. So I created my own green room at home," he rememberd.
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Robinson is thankful for the opportunity
Pictures of players crying when their names are called are quite common. Even though it wasn't captured by the camera, Robinson let all the emotions out. He was just proud he could bring his best assets to the biggest stage.
" I was, you know, tears, blessed, you know, I gotta thank God for the opportunity," said Robinson.
Robinson didn't win any awards, nor did he win a championship in his career. But he left a much bigger impact on basketball. Height differential was always a problem that made some great talents quit.
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With his ability to score and dunk on anyone, he proved that it is possible to be undersized and still compete at the highest level for more than 10 years, serving as motivation for all young hoopers with similar physical tools.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
