Mitchell Robinson
AP Photo

New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle can’t say enough about his frontcourt counterpart, Mitchell Robinson.

Although Mitchell Robinson entered the league with plenty of mystery, it only took one season for the New York Knicks center to earn a reputation. Robinson quickly became known for his tenacious rim protection.

Julius Randle, the Knicks’ marquee free-agent signing of the offseason, is excited to play alongside such a dynamic shot-blocker.

“‘When we played I was like, ‘who is this kid?’ Cause every time I went to the basket he was coming out of nowhere. I’m like, ‘Yo, what’s going on?'” Randle told Ian Begley of SNY. “I had no clue who he was. He has so much potential now he’s only scratching the surface and I’m excited to get, on the court with him.”

As a rookie, Robinson averaged 2.4 blocks per game and 4.3 per 36 minutes. During the second half of the season, Robinson was an absolute beast defensively.

His most impressive defensive trait could be his ability to block three-pointers. That’s a valuable skill to have in a league that is trending more and more towards the three-point line.

While Robinson has all kinds of untapped potential, he must avoid foul trouble if he’s going to continue to improve as a defender. His aggressiveness is part of what makes him so special, but he can’t block any shots if he’s relegated to the bench with early foul trouble.

Randle might not share the same elite defensive qualities as his frontcourt mate, but his physical presence should help take some pressure off of Robinson. How the two fit alongside one another should be one of the most interesting subplots to the upcoming Knicks season.

 
NY/NJ hoops reporter (NBA/NCAA) & sports betting writer for XL Media. Never had the makings of a varsity athlete.