NBA
MR
#4

Mitchell Robinson

Center · Boston Celtics · 7'0", 240 lb · Born Apr 1, 1998 · Pensacola, Florida · Drafted 36th overall, 2018
2026 ChampionBoston CelticsElite offensive rebounderSkipped college
NBABoston CelticsCenters
Compare:vs Scheiermanvs Whitevs Tatumvs Walshvs Garzavs George
In short

Mitchell Robinson is an elite rim-running, shot-blocking center who signed with the Boston Celtics in July 2026 after winning the 2026 title with the New York Knicks. A rare prospect who skipped college entirely, he was a second-round pick in 2018, once broke Wilt Chamberlain's single-season field-goal percentage record, and ranks among the best offensive rebounders in NBA history. He joins Boston on a three-year, $47.4 million deal.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceTue, Nov 10
@Atlanta HawksAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
5.7
range 3–8.4
Line 5.5
53%
to go over
Team win
36%
111–114
Poi 5.7 Lean overReb 8.8 Lean underAss 0.9 Lean underPRA 15.4 Lean under
Likely on himOnyeka Okongwu· 78 Rim protectionStrong defender
5+ pts59%10+ pts8%

Model lines Robinson at 5.7 pts (range 3–8.4) vs a 5.5 line — a lean to clear it (53%).

Model favors Atlanta Hawks (64%), projected 111–114, ~225 total at 97 pace.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Robinson
The Robinson Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A 7-footer who skipped college, broke Wilt's shooting record, and won a title — now bringing rim protection to Boston.

A McDonald's All-American who bypassed college entirely, Robinson was drafted 36th by the Knicks in 2018.

🏀 Skipped college36th, 2018

He became an elite rim-runner and shot-blocker, once breaking Wilt Chamberlain's single-season field-goal percentage record.

Broke Wilt's FG% recordElite shot-blocker

The longest-tenured Knick, he won the 2026 title — playing through a broken pinky — before hitting free agency.

🏆 2026 championBroken pinky · Finals

Boston signed him for three years and $47.4M to anchor the paint; he wears No. 4, since No. 23 is retired for Frank Ramsey.

3 yr / $47.4M#4 in Boston
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
5.7
2025-26
RPG
8.8
per game
APG
0.9
per game
FG%
.723
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A shot-blocking, glass-crashing 7-footer and fresh champion — the rim protection Boston added for its next run.

Mitchell Robinson III was born in Pensacola, Florida and took one of the most unusual paths to the NBA: a McDonald's All-American, he committed to college but left before playing a game, becoming the first recruited prospect to spend an entire pre-draft year not playing for any team. The Knicks took him 36th in 2018.

He became one of the league's best rim-runners and shot-blockers — once breaking Wilt Chamberlain's single-season field-goal percentage record (.742) — and one of the most prolific offensive rebounders in NBA history. The longest-tenured Knick, he won the 2026 championship (playing through a broken pinky) before signing a three-year, $47.4 million deal with Boston in free agency. He wears No. 4, since his Knicks No. 23 is retired in Boston for Frank Ramsey.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Robinson's road to the NBA is one of the league's most unusual — he bypassed college entirely, training independently for the draft after leaving Western Kentucky within weeks of enrolling. He founded the Mitchell Robinson III Youth Foundation to support his Southwest Louisiana community, where he spent his high-school years.

On the court his game is elemental: dunks, offensive rebounds, and blocked shots. He compensates for a limited offensive package (and poor free-throw shooting) with elite closing speed, a 7-foot-4 wingspan, and relentless motor on the glass. After winning a title with the Knicks, he joins Boston to give a reshaping contender rim protection and second-chance points.

PERSONALITY

The person

A rim-running, shot-blocking, glass-crashing center — elemental interior impact.

Offensive rebounderAmong the best offensive-rebounding rates in NBA history.
Shot-blockerElite rim protection with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and closing speed.
Efficient finisherOnce broke Wilt Chamberlain's single-season field-goal percentage record.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Rim-Runner · Shot-Blocker
Temperament
Steady
Leadership
58/100
Scoring51
Playmaking35
Rebounding87
Perimeter D50
Rim protection85
Spacing35
Athleticism70
Clutch59
a rim-running, shot-blocking center signed from the champion Knicks
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Rim protection and second chances

Robinson's value is elemental and rare: he protects the rim, runs the floor for lobs, and crashes the offensive glass at a historic rate, generating extra possessions and easy points. For a Boston team that lost size, he's a targeted addition — the interior anchor that lets the wings play aggressive perimeter defense.

The offensive limitations

His offense is confined to dunks and putbacks, and his career 55% free-throw shooting makes him a hack-a-Mitch target in the playoffs. But on a team with Tatum, George, and White creating, he doesn't need touches — his job is rim protection, rebounding, and rolling, and he does all three at an elite level.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266019.65.78.80.9.723

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2026NBA champion with the Knicks, playing through a broken pinky in the Finals
2020Broke Wilt Chamberlain's single-season field-goal percentage record (.742)
PathFirst recruited prospect to skip an entire pre-draft year without playing for any team

Hardware

1×
NBA Champion (2026)
1×
All-Rookie Second Team (2019)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A fresh champion and elite rim protector — the interior anchor Boston added in free agency.

On a three-year, $47.4 million deal, Robinson gives the Celtics rim protection, elite offensive rebounding, and lob finishing. His offense is limited and his free-throw shooting is a playoff vulnerability, but his interior impact is exactly what a reshaping contender needed.

Offensive reboundingHistoric
Rim protectionElite
Rim finishingEfficient
Free-throw shootingPoor

Contract

Deal
3 yr / $47.4M signed 2026
Role
Rim-runner C anchor
Age
28 prime
Bottom line

A fresh champion who protects the rim and dominates the glass. Boston's targeted interior anchor — as long as playoff opponents can't exploit the free-throw line.

FAQ

Quick answers

Did Mitchell Robinson skip college?

Yes — he was the first recruited prospect to spend an entire pre-draft year not playing for any college, pro, or prep team, before the Knicks drafted him 36th in 2018.

How did Mitchell Robinson join the Celtics?

He signed a three-year, $47.4 million free-agent deal with Boston in July 2026 after winning the championship with the Knicks.

What is Mitchell Robinson best at?

Offensive rebounding and rim protection — he ranks among the best offensive rebounders in NBA history and once broke Wilt Chamberlain's single-season field-goal percentage record.