David Robinson is back.

The San Antonio Spurs center, scheduled to join the U.S. Olympic team for workouts next week, got back on the basketball court Sunday for the first time since undergoing surgery on this left thumb more than two months ago."It felt like such a long time since I'd been out there," Robinson said after taking part in a game at the Alvin Robertson-Pizza Hut National Pro-Am, a summer league. "I was ready to run. I was ready to play."

The league attracts ex-college players and NBA veterans like Johnny Moore and Derrick Gervin for games at Our Lady of the Lake University. Current NBA stars like Robertson of the Milwaukee Bucks, Tim Hardaway of Golden State and Terry Cummings of the Spurs also drop by occasionally to work out.

Robinson, wearing a protective splint, entered the game midway through the second quarter. He scored 20 points to lead his team to a 104-101 victory over Robertson's team, demonstrating his trademark dunks and shot-blocking talent.

"David played pretty well, considering he was playing with a group of guys he probably hadn't played with," said Robertson, a former member of the Spurs.

Robinson tore the ligament in his left thumb - his shooting hand - in a game March 16 against the Charlotte Hornets. He tried to play in several games afterward, but ended up having season-ending surgery March 28 to reconstruct the ligament.

"I banged it a couple of times, and it's a little tender," he said. "It's going to take a long time to get flexibility, the full range of motion, back in the thumb. It doesn't move as well as I'd like, but I'll continue to work on it."

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