In 2018, the New York Knicks drafted a promising center out of Western Kentucky with the 36th overall pick. He profiled as a fantastic rebounder on both sides of the floor, with great defensive instincts, intensity, and shot-blocking capabilities.
Think of Patrick Ewing, Willis Reed, and Charles Oakley; now add Mitchell Robinson to that group of historic rebounders in Knicks history.
Robinson is producing an all-time offensive rebounding season for New York. He’s averaging 4.9 offensive rebounds per game, the next closest Knick, Karl-Anthony Towns, with 3.1. However, what makes this even more impressive, Towns plays almost double the minutes Robinson does on a nightly basis.
Robinson compared to the league’s best
When looking at the league in totality, there are only six players who average over 4.5 offensive boards a night. Walker Kessler of the Jazz, Donovan Clingan of the Trail Blazers, Steven Adams of the Rockets, and, of course, Robinson. Adams leads the league at five a night, with Robinson at 4.9, Clingan at 4.7, and Kessler at 4.6.
The league leaders in offensive rebounding all play over 21.5 minutes a night, with Clingan and Kessler exceeding 25. What makes Robinson so effective on the glass is his impact in limited minutes. He’s 2nd in the league in offensive rebounding while playing 17.1 minutes a night.
Effectiveness on both ends of the court for the Knicks
According to Crafted NBA, Robinson is in the 99th percentile in offensive rebounding. Databallr also has him in the 99th percentile in team miss percentage with 24.5%, meaning every time a teammate misses a shot, Robinson is securing the rebound at said rate.
However, it isn’t just his rebounding skills that make him such a useful weapon; he’s one of the best defensive big men the league has to offer. Robinson is in the 97th percentile in block percentage and 96th percentile in rim frequency, meaning Robinson is one of the league’s best in terms of rim protection, according to Crafted NBA’s metrics.
Robinson’s historic rebounding pace
Per 36 minutes, excluding players who’ve played eight games or less, Robinson is lapping the competition. He’s averaging a mind-numbing 10.3 offensive rebounds, with 17.3 total rebounds. For reference, no player comes within two offensive boards on a per-36-minute basis.
If Robinson continued this pace for the rest of the season, we’d be looking at the best offensive rebounding season in NBA history, and it wouldn’t be particularly close. Steven Adams holds the NBA record for most offensive rebounds per 36 minutes, with 7.53 in the 2024-2025 season. Robinson would break that record by almost three rebounds. When an offensive rebound is up for grabs, Robinson is a black hole; you simply cannot escape him.
With the Knicks’ inconsistent start to the season, Robinson will continue to be New York’s biggest X-factor. With elite defense and historic rebounding numbers, the Knicks will rely on Robinson as a leader and difference maker on both sides of the ball.