A former New York Knicks fan favorite has taken umbrage with modern NBA players over one key issue.
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During a new interview with Sam Yip of HoopsHype, former hyper-athletic point guard Nate Robinson reflected extensively on his career and where the league has gone since his last NBA game in 2017.
For @hoopshype, I spoke with @nate_robinson again about his mindset following a successful kidney transplant, which NBA player reminds him of himself, why the NBA is a money grab now, and more. https://t.co/Uu0vniDd8k
— Sam Yip (@samyip__) October 6, 2025
When Yip suggested that ballooning new NBA salaries had shifted current talent's priorities, the 5-foot-9 University of Washington product agreed.
"See, when I was a kid growing up, I wanted to make it to the league," Robinson said. "It wasn’t about the money. The money comes with making it to the league. Now, for young kids, it’s all about the bag. It’s not about earning respect from your peers who played before you."
Robinson is easily best remembered for his five-year tenure with the Knicks, where he began his career in 2005. He was a three-time Slam Dunk champion and a creative scorer and passer, but his size limited his (figurative) ceiling.
He was flipped to the Boston Celtics at the February 2010 trade deadline, and in a reduced role helped Boston eventually push the Los Angeles Lakers in a narrow seven-game NBA Finals series loss.
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From that point on, across his stints with the Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, L.A. Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans, Robinson embraced a full-time bench role.
Although salaries were significantly slighter then, Robinson still netted $23.8 million in on-court NBA earnings. Not too shabby.
"I wanted Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson. I wanted them to respect the game I brought and the way I played. These young cats fell off that. They lost that, they don’t care," Robinson said. "They think they’re just as good as the guys before them. They don’t pay homage, they don’t pay their respect, they don’t pay their dues. They think they’re like that because of how much money they’re making."
This feels a bit unfair. The best players in the league today pay frequent tribute to the greats of yesteryear. LeBron James, of course, wears Jordan's jersey number.
By and large, the NBA itself makes sure to integrate its Hall of Fame legends into the fabric of the modern game. The league has named all of its awards after former superstars or commissioners, and takes pains to celebrate how the current crop of standouts fit into the cumulative historic narrative of the league at large.
The NBA's anniversary teams — thus far celebrating its 25th, 50th, and most recently 75th anniversaries — serve as an excellent way to let modern stars mingle with legends. When he was still alive, 11-time league champ Bill Russell presented the Larry O'Brien Trophy to a given season's victors for years.
"You’re making a lot of money, but your game doesn’t equate to what you’re being paid," Robinson added. "I played for the appreciation and love from the players before me. That was a big thing... I wanted them to respect my game. They’ve lost that part of the game, and they need it back desperately."
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