Alvin Robertson saw his rise to public prominence stem from his promising talent on the basketball court. However, Robertson’s life began to unravel through his various legal problems over the years. It all led to a fabricated human trafficking case nearly ruining the former San Antonio Spurs star’s life.

Alvin Robertson rose to NBA stardom

Alvin Robertson entered the NBA as the seventh overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1984 draft.

Robertson spent his first five NBA seasons with the Spurs, where he quickly developed into a rising star talent. In his second campaign, he won the Defensive Player of the Year award behind a league record of 3.7 steals per contest.

In that same year, he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Following his stint in San Antonio, he spent the next three-plus seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he continued to be a significant factor on the floor. He was then traded to the Detroit Pistons in the 1992-93 season.

The following year, the Pistons moved Robertson to the Denver Nuggets but never played due to a back injury. He didn’t play another NBA game until the 1995-96 season with the Toronto Raptors.

Beyond Robertson’s two individual awards in 1986, he finished his career with four All-Star game selections, six All-Defensive Team nods (two first, four second), and an All-NBA Second Team selection. He is also one of four players to record a quadruple-double in a game.

Although he had success on the court, his legal problems off the court marred his life late in his career and beyond his playing days. During the 1990 offseason, he spent a month in prison for domestic charges against his then-wife. From 1995 onward, he continued to have problems with the law ranging from charges of burglary of a habitation to several different assault charges.

Robertson’s life turned completely upside down in 2010, stemming from another serious legal problem.

Alvin Robertson’s life nearly ruined by fabricated underage human trafficking allegations

Legal issues have marred Alvin Robertson’s life off the court well beyond his playing days.

His life took another discouraging turn in February 2010 as he was arrested for alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old child, trafficking an underage child for purposes of sex, and forcing a sexual performance by a child. The case against him centered on him allegedly being involved in an underage sex ring.

He was among the seven people involved in the case that allegedly forced the girl into prostitution and made her dance at a strip club in Corpus Christi. Following the charges, he posted bail but was in and out of jail several times throughout 2010 until a judge ordered him to stay under house arrest.

The case hovered over him over the next five years until state District Judge Jefferson Moore rule in December 2015 that he was innocent of the charges against him. The court determined that the young girl at the center of the investigation had lied about the situation.

During the trial, the girl’s story often changed, which quickly cracked away at her credibility. According to the San Antonio Express-News, some dates and descriptions didn’t quite match up. On top of that, civil suits concerning her strip club ordeal only uncovered more discrepancies.

Over time, All that trickled down in the case, leading the judge to drop the charges against Robertson.

“It’s been a nightmare,” Robertson said via ESPN. “I am glad to have it behind me.”

Legal problems continue to hamper his life

Following that entire ordeal, Alvin Robertson’s life didn’t get any easier as his struggles with the law continued.

Robertson was taken into custody in August 2018 due to an outstanding arrest for violating a protective order. According to the San Antonio Current, the situation came about after an investigation of a report regarding a disturbance at his home in Texas.

The police sent his residence found an active warrant, and arrested him without any bond. Since that incident, there hasn’t been any new information concerning his life aside from him residing in San Antonio, Texas. 

Beyond all that, his life has been an endless struggle to avoid trouble with the law.