NY Knicks: Comparing Mitchell Robinson to 3 star centers

NY Knicks: Mitchell Robinson Comparisons — Rudy Gobert

A 3-time Defensive Player of The Year? That might be a little too much expectation to put on Mitchell Robinson, but Rudy Gobert didn’t become Rudy Gobert overnight.

Once upon a time, Gobert was a tall, lanky kid from France who was taken at the end of the first round of the NBA draft. He may not have had the same leaping ability as Mitchell Robinson, but Gobert did share some of the same extremely potent, yet raw basketball traits.

What was being said about Gobert before he was drafted 27th overall in 2013?

"“Gobert has an amazing (7-foot-9) wingspan combined with a skinny but athletic frame … Coordination and ability to run the floor are above average for a big man  … His agility and reflexes make him a solid athlete, even by NBA standards… His wingspan allows his team to put defensive pressure on opponents …Rim protector. His length disrupts passing lanes and he makes the basket difficult to reach for opposing guard’s penetrations … He has good timing for blocks, thanks to his agility and coordination… He needs to bulk up his upper body, in order to be able to withstand the extra physicality at the NBA level… He’s able to take post position effectively but he still lacks a safe and reliable go to post move … He’s a reliable rebounder but with his physical tools he could be even better … He has a mild demeanor, sometimes he appears to play with a reduced gear, lacking much competitive fire … At times, his lack of a great feel for the game becomes apparent as he fails to recognize plays before they develop or doesn’t finish off plays with enough aggression …"

Hmm… “fails to recognize plays”, “Needs to bulk up upper body”, “Mild demeanor”? Sounds a lot like some of the same notes and criticisms of a young Mitchell Robinson.

Gobert barely played in his rookie year but showed that he was a productive and promising player in years 2 and 3. He had some advanced metrics to back up the fact that he was very much developing into a defensive force. 

Unlike Jordan and Capela, Gobert isn’t quite as much of a springy leaper. His physical gifts come in the form of his record-breaking wingspan, footspeed, and athletic coordination.

Gobert isn’t thought of as an offensive dynamo but he has a pretty soft touch close to the rim. He’s an efficient scorer with a few post moves in his bag. Robinson has yet to show the same skillset with the ball in his hands, but maybe there’s room for a 23-year-old to still develop his game?

So finally, with all of these undeniable similarities in early career development, production, and growth to some premier centers in the game, is Mitchell Robinson headed to the next level of his game sooner rather than later?