New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has become one of the most important players on a championship contender. Unfortunately, he's also become a player whose most recent seasons have been defined by injuries.
As the Knicks scramble to overcome an injury to franchise player Jalen Brunson, however, Robinson is giving the team a rare source of optimism.
Robinson has appeared in just 10 games for the Knicks in 2024-25 after being limited to 31 showings in 2023-24. It's been a frustrating chapter in his career, but that hasn't prevented him from coming back and going all-out in the areas New York needs him most.
Room for improvement remains, but Robinson is already averaging 5.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 steal, and 0.9 blocks in just 16.3 minutes per game.
Those numbers translate to 12.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes. It's a level of production any team would welcome from a center, let alone a player who has only played 10 games at this stage of the season.
The more specific detail that should have the Knicks intrigued, however, is that Robinson is already back to dominating the offensive glass.
Mitchell Robinson is already an elite offensive rebounder again
Robinson has played limited minutes since returning to the rotation, exceeding 20 in just one of his 10 appearances. Despite the finite opportunities to produce, he's in the midst of an impressive stretch on the offensive glass.
Robinson has pulled down at least three offensive rebounds in each of the past five games—during which time he's played just 93 minutes.
Robinson is making the most of his opportunities, attacking the offensive glass with the elite precision Knicks fans have come to expect of him. He even brought down five offensive rebounds in consecutive games against the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.
While playing 10 games has him far from qualifying for the league leaders, Robinson's current offensive rebounding percentage trails only Steven Adams for the highest in the NBA.
It's also worth noting that his offensive rebounding percentage of 17.5 is only 0.5 percent higher than his mark from 2023-24. As such, it's entirely fair to assume that Robinson will continue to be one of the most dominant offensive rebounders in the NBA this season.
It's been a welcome development for a Knicks team that's been forced to find new ways to generate offense with Jalen Brunson sidelined.
Moving forward, Robinson's ability to create second chances could prove invaluable. The Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks all rank No. 12 or better in second-chance points allowed per game, making Robinson an essential contributor to the cause of breaking that strength.
Robinson still has a gap to bridge in other areas of the game, but he's ready and able to create second chances at virtual will again.