Leonard Eugene "Truck" Robinson (born October 4, 1951) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player and coach. He played in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(NBA) for the

Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...

(1974–77),

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...

(1977), New Orleans Jazz (1977–79),

Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...

(1979–82), and

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

(1982–85). In 11 seasons Robinson played in 772 games, stayed 25,141 minutes on the court and had a .483 field goal percentage (4,816 for 9,971), .662 free throw percentage (2,355 for 3,556), 7,267 total rebounds (1,985 offensive and 5,282 defensive), 1,348 assists, 533 steals, 510 blocks, 2,253 personal fouls and 11,988 points. He ranks in the NBA's top 100 lists for career rebounds, defensive rebounds and career rebounds per game. He was an Eastern Conference champion in 1975 with the Bullets. In the 1977-78 season he led the NBA in minutes played (3,638), defensive rebounds (990), total rebounds (1,288) and rebounds per game (15.7), in addition to being named to the All-NBA First Team and East All-Star Team the same season. He was also named to the West All-Star Team in 1981, the year he and the Suns won the Pacific Division. Following his retirement from playing, Robinson served as an assistant coach for the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

from 2009 to 2012.

Biography

Known throughout the league as "Truck", Leonard Robinson used his rugged body, intelligent playmaking, and sure shot to become one of the game's best forwards in the 1970s and 1980s. Fundamentally sound in every area, he had the strength and physical attributes of a power forward along with the mobility of a small forward. He delivered a consistent cargo of offensive firepower and uncanny rebounding for 11 years in the NBA. A two-time All-Star, Robinson had his finest season with the New Orleans Jazz in 1977–78, when he averaged 22.7 points and led the NBA with 15.7 rebounds per game. After starring at

Tennessee State University Tennessee State University (Tennessee State, Tenn State, or TSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tenness ...

, Robinson was taken by the

in the second round of the

1974 NBA draft The 1974 NBA draft was the 28th annual NBA Draft, draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 28, 1974, before the 1974–75 NBA season, 1974–75 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur ...

. As a rookie in 1974–75, Robinson had to wait his turn behind

Elvin Hayes Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17, 1945), nicknamed "the Big E", is an American former professional basketball player and radio analyst for his alma-mater Houston Cougars. He is a member of the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and a ...

and Mike Riordan and averaged just 5.8 points in 13.1 minutes per game. He made small contributions on a Bullets team that reached the

NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...

that year, losing to the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

in four games. Robinson's playing time doubled in his sophomore season, and his scoring and rebounding numbers improved accordingly. But it wasn't until the 1976–77 campaign, when the Bullets sent Robinson to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

for Tom Henderson and a draft choice, that Robinson established himself as a star. In split duty between the Bullets and Hawks, Robinson averaged 19.0 points and 10.8 rebounds. Prior to the 1977–78 season Robinson signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Jazz, and the Jazz sent the Hawks' Ron Behagen (and cash) as compensation. In his only full season with the Jazz, Robinson turned in the finest performance of his career. At just 6-foot-7, he became one of the first non-centers ever to lead the league in rebounding, grabbing 15.7 boards per game. He also notched his career-best scoring effort (22.7 ppg), made his first All-Star appearance, and was named to the All-NBA First Team at season's end. The Jazz, under Coach

Elgin Baylor Elgin Gay Baylor ( ; September 16, 1934 – March 22, 2021) was an American professional basketball player, coach, and executive. He played 14 seasons as a forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lake ...

, went 39-43 but missed the playoffs for the fourth time in their four-year history. Robinson started well in 1978–79, averaging 24.2 points and 13.4 rebounds through the first 43 games. But on January 12 the Jazz traded Robinson to the

for two players and two first-round draft picks. The Suns boasted a deeper roster than the Jazz, and over the season's final 26 games Robinson averaged just 16.0 points in 29.1 minutes per game. Phoenix won 50 games that year and advanced to the Western Conference Finals before losing to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

in seven games. Over his next three seasons with the Suns, Robinson averaged at least 17 points and 9 rebounds each year. Following the 1981–82 campaign he was traded to the

for

Maurice Lucas Maurice Lucas (February 18, 1952 – October 31, 2010) was an American professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a four-time NBA All-Star and won ...

. In 1982–83 Robinson suffered through the worst slump of his career, averaging just 9.5 points and 8.1 rebounds. Fans began complaining about their "truck with four flat tires" and would often chant "Dump Truck." He played another full season for New York—with similar results—before retiring in 1984–85. In 11 NBA seasons Robinson amassed 11,988 points and 7,267 rebounds.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, 76 , , , , 13.1 , , .486 , , , , .522 , , 4.0 , , 0.5 , , 0.5 , , 0.4 , , 5.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , , , 25.1 , , .454 , , , , .672 , , 6.8 , , 1.4 , , 0.5 , , 1.3 , , 11.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 41 , , , , 32.4 , , .478 , , , , .677 , , 8.9 , , 1.1 , , 0.7 , , 0.4 , , 16.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 36 , , , , 40.3 , , .478 , , , , .772 , , 12.8 , , 2.7 , , 1.1 , , 0.6 , , 22.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, 82 , , , , style="background:#cfecec;", 44.4* , , .444 , , , , .640 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 15.7* , , 2.1 , , 0.9 , , 1.0 , , 22.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, 43 , , , , 41.4 , , .485 , , , , .723 , , 13.4 , , 1.7 , , 0.7 , , 1.5 , , 24.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

, 26 , , , , 29.1 , , .508 , , , , .642 , , 8.7 , , 1.5 , , 0.7 , , 0.5 , , 16.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , , , 33.0 , , .512 , , , , .667 , , 9.4 , , 1.7 , , 0.7 , , 0.7 , , 17.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , , , 37.7 , , .505 , , , , .629 , , 9.6 , , 2.5 , , 0.8 , , 0.5 , , 18.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 74 , , 72 , , 37.1 , , .513 , , 1.000 , , .687 , , 9.7 , , 2.4 , , 0.6 , , 0.4 , , 19.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, 81 , , 76 , , 30.0 , , .462 , , , , .587 , , 8.1 , , 1.8 , , 0.7 , , 0.3 , , 9.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 65 , , 63 , , 32.8 , , .489 , , , , .646 , , 8.4 , , 1.4 , , 0.7 , , 0.4 , , 10.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 2 , , 1 , , 17.5 , , .400 , , , , .000 , , 4.5 , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , 1.5 , , 2.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 772 , , 212 , , 32.6 , , .483 , , 1.000 , , .662 , , 9.4 , , 1.7 , , 0.7 , , 0.7 , , 15.5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 2 , , 0 , , 22.5 , , .462 , , , , .500 , , 5.5 , , 1.5 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 6.5

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 17, , , , 7.6, , .333, , , , .500, , 2.4, , 0.4, , 0.4, , 0.6, , 2.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 7, , , , 19.6, , .432, , , , .810, , 4.7, , 0.7, , 0.7, , 1.1, , 7.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 15, , , , 26.1, , .403, , , , .652, , 8.1, , 0.7, , 0.4, , 0.8, , 10.5 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 3, , , , 21.3, , .375, , , , .714, , 6.7, , 1.3, , 1.0, , 0.7, , 5.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 7, , , , 33.3, , .351, , , , .588, , 10.7, , 1.9, , 0.7, , 0.3, , 10.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 7, , , , 30.4, , .563, , , , .300, , 7.6, , 2.7, , 0.7, , 0.1, , 13.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 6, , , , 34.2, , .534, , , , .571, , 11.0, , 2.2, , 1.7, , 0.3, , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 12, , , , 30.2, , .514, , , , .600, , 8.1, , 0.6, , 0.6, , 0.8, , 7.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 74 , , ? , , 23.5 , , .448 , , , , .616 , , 6.8 , , 1.0 , , 0.6 , , 0.6 , , 8.2

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Truck 1951 births Living people African-American basketball players American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks players Basketball players from Jacksonville, Florida National Basketball Association All-Stars New Orleans Jazz players New York Knicks players Phoenix Suns players Power forwards (basketball) Sacramento Kings assistant coaches Tennessee State Tigers basketball players Washington Bullets draft picks Washington Bullets players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople

Biography

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

References

External links