NBA: 10 relative unknowns entering defining seasons in 2019-20

2. Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks

Mitchell Robinson had an outstanding rookie season, posting a mind-bending 10.0 block percentage. If he had played enough minutes to qualify, he’d have beaten Myles Turner’s 8.4 to lead the league.

This is all the more impressive when you consider two things.

One, Turner’s 8.4 was the 16th-highest block percentage in NBA history.

And two, only one man in the entire history of the league has posted a block percentage of 10.0 or better in a qualifying season — Manute Bol did it three times.

Robinson averaged 4.3 blocks and 11.2 rebounds per 36 minutes last year. Shaquille O’Neal averaged 3.4 blocks and 13.2 rebounds per 36 minutes as a rookie and the 1992-93 Orlando Magic weren’t a nightmare house of horrors like the 2018-19 New York Knicks.

Robinson’s 5.2 Defensive Box Plus-Minus was better than the 5.1 Rudy Gobert put up to lead the league among qualified players. His 2.7 VORP in just 1,360 minutes as a rookie is only 0.4 less than LeBron James put up as a rookie in 2003-04.

In Year 2, the Knicks are probably going to be garbage. But their new young center, the best big man they’ve had since Patrick Ewing, could end up taking home Defensive Player of the Year honors.

We’re going to find out if taking the world by storm on defense as a rookie was a fluke or if we’re really looking at a generational “Zion Who?” talent in Gotham.