As a relatively unknown second round pick by the New York Knicks, Mitchell Robinson has surprised the NBA world with his play as a rookie.
Coming into the NBA as the 36th overall pick by the New York Knicks, Mitchell Robinson wasn’t your average second round selection, with intrigue and potential that made him a fascinating incoming rookie.
Originally slated to play college ball at Western Kentucky University last season, Robinson, who was the No. 9 overall high school recruit from the 2017 class, opted to forgo college as a way to prepare for the 2018 NBA Draft. His decision took him off the radar as the draft neared, but the potential as an impactful inside presence was always there.
A bouncy 7’1” with arms stretching 7’4”, the former Chalmette High alumni was blessed with incredible physical gifts, ones that have helped stout defenders such as Clint Capela and Rudy Golbert thrive in the league.
The 20-year-old still has plenty to learn and a steep learning curve to get over, and yet, even so, he’s flashed unteachable traits with ridiculous production in his first taste of NBA basketball, which has Knicks fans squealing at the potential future for this diamond found in the rough.
An ankle injury in late December cost Robinson 13 consecutive games, which was certainly disappointing given his need for in-game reps, but since then he’s missed just a single game, allowing him to develop quicker by learning through his inevitable mistakes.
Despite playing only 19.0 minutes per game, Robinson has done a phenomenal job of making the most out of his playing time, especially on the defensive side of the floor where his physical traits are of great use.
In those 19.0 minutes, he’s averaging an absurd 2.4 blocks per game, tied for second in the entire league with Anthony Davis, who’s playing an extra 14 minutes each night. Robinson’s length and athleticism make no shot out of reach, but it’s his advanced timing at such a young age that’s made him special.
What’s also made Robinson unique is his ability to block shots with either hand. There isn’t a stat for this type of accomplishment, but go watch a Knicks game and you’ll see him swat shots with his left hand more than you would expect, which really increases his block radius in the restricted area.
At the offensive end, Robinson is already one of the most feared rim-runners in the game, capable of catching any and all lobs near the rim. He’s shooting 68.2 percent from the field on the season and a respectable 68.9 percent from the free throw line since the arrival of DeAndre Jordan.
Speaking of New York’s latest acquisition, DJ has already done wonders for the development of Robinson, seeing as how their career arcs have the potential to line up in a similar fashion.
A former second round pick himself, Jordan struggled early on in his career with the Los Angeles Clippers as an underdeveloped, high-flying big man. Once Doc Rivers arrived, he helped morph him into one of the best rebounding, shot-blocking and lob-catching bigs in the game.
In 23 games since his arrival, Jordan’s presence has been evident within Robinson, with an uptick in playing time to go along with an increase in points, rebounds and blocks per game. Whether or not the Knicks can keep the unrestricted free agent around past this season is to be determined, but there’s no questioning the upside it would have in developing his understudy.
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Robinson needs to keep his fouls down — that much is clear with 3.3 a game. That will likely come as he gets more playing time and film room sessions, studying the game and acquiring an understanding of where to be at all times.
For now, let’s just look at the positives of a guy who’s seemingly come out of nowhere to already be considered one of the top players from his loaded draft class.
He’s at the top of the NBA in blocks outside the paint with arms that help make up an immense amount of ground when closing out shooters on the perimeter. He’s got 22 consecutive games of two or more blocks, the third-longest streak in the last 21 years.
Right arm or left arm, it doesn’t really matter with this guy when it comes to blocking shots. He attracts so much attention diving to the rim and will only get better as a finisher as he adds muscle and endurance. Remember, he didn’t play organized basketball all of last year.
Knicks fans haven’t had much of anything to cheer for this season, but in Mitchell Robinson, they can rest easy knowing he is already one of the league’s most dominant interior defenders, who, with time, has a ceiling ahead of him that seems pretty difficult to predict in the best of ways.