He stands at 7-foot-1, his nickname is ‘The Admiral’ and his NBA awards and accolades could fill an encyclopedia, yet growing up, the game of basketball was almost foreign to NBA superstar David Robinson.

When he grew seven inches after his freshman year at the U.S. Naval Academy, however, Robinson began to realize that he was destined for basketball. During his time playing for Navy, ‘The Admiral’ quickly became the top college prospect in the nation — earning him the first overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft.

Just as it took years for David to realize he was meant to play basketball, it would also take him years to realize that fulfillment isn’t found in athletic success.

“I knew something was missing—I just didn’t know what it was,” he explains. “I kept thinking about how up and down my life was. It seemed that every time I did something, I had to do it again—or do something even better. We’d start a new season, and I’d have to re-prove myself over and over again. It was never enough.”

Click HERE to finish reading our March 1999 cover story on David Robinson and his spiritual journey with Christ. Robinson and his San Antonio Spurs participated in four Western Conference Finals and earned two NBA championships during his 14-year career.