Knicks Rumors: Mitchell Robinson '100%' After Offseason Knee Injury Recovery
September 24, 2019
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is reportedly back to full strength after dealing with a knee injury during the offseason, including at Team USA training camp ahead of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Marc Berman of the New York Post reported Tuesday that Robinson's knee is "100 percent," which has allowed him to attend some voluntary scrimmages with the Knicks ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season.
The 21-year-old Florida native enjoyed a solid rookie campaign for New York. He averaged 7.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game, shooting 69.4 percent from the field.
During the NBA Summer League in July, Robinson told reporters he planned to showcased increased offensive range in his second NBA season.
"I got that in my bag, but I didn't want to bring it out all the way. ... It's just something I've been working on," he said. "Next year, I'm shooting 3s. I can shoot them. I shot them in high school. They ain't that much farther. I'm going to continue to work on it."
ESPN ranked him as the No. 98 player in the NBA heading into the new campaign.
Robinson is expected to take on a headline role for the Knicks since the front office wasn't able to land any of its star-studded targets in free agency. He should see a sizable minutes increase, and the question will be whether he can maintain his efficiency.
New York is building the foundation for long-term success with Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., Kevin Knox, Julius Randle and 2019 third overall pick RJ Barrett. The team's level of star power isn't enough to seriously compete with the league's elite, though.