Knicks’ biggest X-factor is grinding to erase his most glaring weakness

Mitchell Robinson, arguably the Knicks' biggest X-factor heading into the season, has spent his offseason trying to improve his biggest flaw: struggling from the free-throw line.

Videos have circulated on social media all offseason of the Knicks' longest-tenured player working on his shooting from the charity stripe, something he has struggled with for his whole career, which came to a head during the Knicks' playoff run last season. Teams started using the strategy of hacking Robinson at any chance they got, forcing the big man to the line, where he shot just 39.3 percent.

Robinson struggled mightily from the line in the playoffs

Robinson was one of 23 players to shoot at least 50 free throws in the 2025 playoffs. Of those players, no one shot worse from the line than Robinson did. It is a problem that has followed him like a shadow throughout his career, where he has only shot 60 percent or better once in his career, not including the 2024-25 season, where he appeared in only 17 games.

Teams quickly realized it was beneficial to simply send Robinson to the line instead of dealing with the Knicks' halfcourt offense. In their second-round matchup against the Boston Celtics, Robinson averaged 5.2 free throws per game, hitting just 45.2 percent of them.

Robinson is rumored to be sliding into a starting role alongside Karl-Anthony Towns this season. Simply put, he will need to improve his ability to knock down shots from the line in order to have the impact that he is capable of.

Robinson is a massive X-factor for New York

Aside from the free-throw difficulties, the ways Robinson can impact a game were on full display for the Knicks during the playoffs. He is an exceptional backline rim protector and has become increasingly disciplined over the years. Rather than always going for the block, he has gotten better at staying vertical and deterring shots with his length while limiting fouls.

On top of that, he proved he is capable of playing in different defensive schemes, such as switching on pick-and-rolls on the perimeter and closing out athletically to the 3-point line. He also makes the rest of the defense better, allowing them to take calculated risks knowing they have him behind them.

There is perhaps no one in the league who can impact a game on the glass the way that Robinson can. He is an elite offensive rebounder who gobbles up boards and gives the Knicks plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities. If he can stay healthy and increase his free-throw percentage, the Knicks' ceiling will get even higher.