2018 NBA Draft: 3 reasons Los Angeles Lakers must be wary of Mitchell Robinson

1. So much boom-or-bust potential

I’ve already alluded to it, but there’s so much potential for Robinson to be a superstar. At the same time, there’s nearly as much potential for him to flame out and be playing overseas in a couple of seasons. He’s a classic boom-or-bust prospect, which shouldn’t be comforting.

Obviously the year away from organized basketball doesn’t help. After withdrawing from Western Kentucky, he decided to train on his own in preparation for the NBA. While the rest of his recruiting class was gaining valuable coaching and experience in the college ranks, he was at home. The last time he even played in a game where the end result mattered was back in April of 2017.

To top it off, Robinson chose to forego the combine. Now some would suggest that’s because of the alleged promise he received from the Lakers. However, I’m not entirely sure it wasn’t just to avoid interviews or medical checks.

Either way, he seems to have a knack for quitting before the hard work begins — first WKU and now the combine. What’s to say he won’t continue that trend at the next level?

We’ve seen the comparisons. Some say Hassan Whiteside. Others say DeAndre Jordan with some offense. On the other hand, the above report compared him to Dewayne Dedmon. I say we pump the brakes and focus on figuring out who this kid is now instead of who he could or couldn’t be years down the road.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition

I understand the excitement and the Lakers’ supposed interest in Robinson. All I’m saying is to take a step back and understand that drafting this raw, inexperienced big man isn’t guaranteed to be a home run for Los Angeles. There are a lot of ways selecting Robinson at No. 25 (or even trading up for him) could backfire.