3. David Robinson 

Probably the greatest athlete to come out of the United States Naval Academy, Robinson played for their men’s basketball team, the Midshipmen. In his final two seasons there, he won college basketball’s two most prestigious awards: the Naismith and John Wooden award, given to the best college basketball player in the nation.

In his final season, Robinson averaged 28.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting .591 from the field for Navy. Since students that attend a military academy have an obligation to serve in active duty upon graduation, Robinson was unable to sign with the San Antonio Spurs despite being selected first overall in the 1987 NBA Draft.

Due to his height of 7’0″, Robinson was ineligible to serve at sea and was instead served as a civil engineer in the Navy Reserves at a submarine base in Kings Bay, Georgia for two years. Upon completion of his military service, Robinson became a Junior Grade Lieutenant and garnered the moniker “The Admiral,” which stayed with him throughout his professional career.

By the time his 14-year career was over, Robinson was widely considered as one of the best centers in NBA history. He finished his career with 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game in addition to 2 NBA titles, 1 MVP, 10 all-star selections, and a Defensive Player of the Year award. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2009.