INSANE! Nate Robinson is Among the Only NBA Players to Block Shaquille O’Neal and Yao Ming Both

Published 11/29/2020, 10:13 PM EST

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Before Jake Paul humiliated Nate Robinson in a fight yesterday and everybody went crazy on social media, Robinson had an NBA career worth revisiting. Although those years aren’t filled with accolades, the way he added points to the scoreboard hurriedly helped him carve out a career as a professional basketball player. But the highlight of his career would probably be his incredible blocks against Shaquille O’Neal and Yao Ming.

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Robinson’s dunks and leaping abilities took the NBA by storm. In the 2005 NBA Draft, he was the 21st overall pick by the Phoenix Suns. However, he was traded off to the New York Knicks the same night. In his rookie season itself, he won the Sprite Rising Star Slam Dunk Contest in 2006, beating Andre Iguodala.

His best games were during 2008-09. Not only did he average 17.2 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game, but also won another dunk contest and then another one the following year. He became the first player in the league’s history to win three dunk contests.  It didn’t take very long for him to become a fan favorite in New York.

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Later, Robinson was traded to the Boston Celtics, where he proved to be an essential off the bench. His energy and ability to play in challenging situations made him popular. Unfortunately, he could never find a home in a franchise. He moved about to eight different teams throughout his career.

Nate Robinson blocking Shaq and Yao Ming is unbelievable

The most incredible part about Nate Robinson is his height. How can a 5’9 player sustain himself among such huge players? From the looks of it, Robinson let nothing stop him. Apparently, he is among the very players who have blocked 7’1 Shaquille O’Neal and 7’6 Yao Ming. Looking at these blocks, one can easily forget his embarrassing loss to Jake Paul. If an athlete can go head to head with NBA legends, then he gets nothing but respect.

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However, there is also a not so pleasant side to Robinson. His antics went against him when he was in New York and he was actually traded off because Mike D’Antoni wasn’t pleased. After a bumpy road, did he ever return to play basketball?

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Nate’s last season was with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2016, when he just played two games. But his love for the game did not end as he continued to play overseas for years. Although it looks like Nate’s interests have changed over time given his recent fight with Jake Paul. Has this short legacy in the league helped form a fresh perspective about him?

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Written by:

Yashima Bhatia

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Yashima Bhatia is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports who specialises in providing nuanced predictions and updates for matches. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Yashima's love for playing the game came up at a young age, when the excitement of the games coupled with the intensity of the Playoffs had her hooked.
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