NY Knicks: Comparing Mitchell Robinson to 3 star centers
By Adam Kester
NY Knicks: Mitchell Robinson Comparisons — Clint Capela
Clint Capela should be a familiar face for Knicks fans after their playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks.
After leading the league in rebounds per game this past season, Capela averaged 10 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in the series against the Knicks and finished as a +59 in the 5 games.
A polarizing force in the middle, New York had no answer for Capela’s athleticism and strength in the paint. He’s of the exact mold and type of player that Mitchell Robinson is becoming.
It took a few years for Capela to get to the level he’s at today. Now look, Capela may not be a “superstar player” but that doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the best centers in the game.
He’s currently on a 5-year, 90 million contract deal. Do you think the Hawks are saying “aw jeez I’m upset we’re paying Clinta Capela 18 mil per year”? He’s had a great impact on their team.
Capela was selected 25th overall in 2014 and a lot of scouting reports had similar things to say. Here’s one from NBA Draftnet:
"“What really separates him is his explosiveness around the rim … He isn’t scared of contact and can really finish above the rim with one of two hands … He also can really run the floor on finding easy layups and dunks in transition … Capela is still a very raw talent with a lot of upside, but has also developed solid instinct, particularly on the defensive end…The biggest knock on Capela is his lack of basketball IQ … He frequently appears lost and often wants to make plays without understanding what is going on around him … He also should be an absolute monster due to his physical attributes but can lack aggressiveness on both ends of the court.”"
Sounds a lot like Mitchell Robinson coming into the league, doesn’t it?
Capela’s 3rd year in the league is when he made his first jump — As a member of the run-and-gun Houston Rockets (Who had the 3rd highest pace and 2nd highest points per game in the NBA) he averaged 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
This past season, Mitchell Robinson (also his 3rd year) averaged 8.3 points and 8.1 blocks on the 4th slowest team and the team last in the league in points per game.
In his 4th year in the league, playing alongside both James Harden and Chris Paul, Capela took another step forward into becoming a powerful, rim-running, starting NBA center. He averaged 13.9 points and 10.8 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game.
Those could be some attainable numbers for Robinson with his added playmakers Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier in the fold this season.
Capela may have started with a very different style of team with the Mike D’Antoni Houston Rockets, but the similarities in their career trajectories are striking. To their size, impact, and overall stats, Robinson has it in him to be a Clint Capela-level player this upcoming season.