Knicks Draft Mitchell Robinson at 'Perfect Opportunity' in 2nd Round

The New York Knicks selected center Mitchell Robinson with the No. 36 pick of the 2018 NBA draft Thursday night. 

The Washington Post's Tim Bontemps thought Robinson was worth taking a flier on past the first round:

Robinson is one of the biggest mysteries in the draft, going all last season without playing organized basketball.

He enrolled in school at Western Kentucky but withdrew from classes twice before the start of basketball season. He was then ineligible to sign with the G League because he was enrolled in classes during the same academic year.

There wasn't even a chance to see him at the combine after Robinson withdrew from the event. 

The lack of recent playing time, especially against quality competition, makes the center mostly an unknown commodity compared to the rest of the class.

On the other hand, the upside is significant.

Robinson was considered a 5-star recruit and the No. 9 overall player in the 2017 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. The 7'0" player has great size and athleticism, and he uses it to be a force around the basket on both ends of the floor.

The center is especially impressive on the defensive end as a true rim-protector who can contribute immediately.

While he will likely need some more development before providing much help offensively, the raw ability was enough to be drafted in the second round. If he reaches his potential, Robinson could end up being a steal for the Knicks.

New York isn't going anywhere for the time being, so Robinson won't face a ton of scrutiny early on despite playing in such a large media market.

The worry will be whether Robinson can flourish with a team that has been so dysfunctional in recent years.