Dollar Bill vs. Block Ness Monster
As the luck of the bracket would have it, what could have been a rather boring debate over who wore #25 and #26 best actually presents itself as a rather intriguing one, due to both players in this week’s matchup battling it out as the better player at the same Center position during two very different eras.
#25 Bill Cartwright — When I think of Bill Cartwright, I think of the Chicago Bulls’ big man of the early ’90s who was the team’s starting center during their first three-peat. I also think of the weirdest shooting form in league history. If you were born in the ’80s like me and grew up on the Knicks-Bulls rivalry of the ’90s, it was hard as a kid to even understand that Cartwright was once a Knick, and a darn good one at that.
Cartwright easily cruised to victory in the WWIB #25 debate over D-Rose, and Doc Rivers with 137 of the 211 votes.
But, just how good was Cartwright as a Knick? The Knicks drafted him third overall in 1979, just two picks behind Magic Johnson. As a rookie, Cartwright made the 1980 NBA All-Star team (his lone All-Star appearance) and was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team. During that rookie year, in which he started all 82 games, Cartwright averaged a career-high 21.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. His play remained stellar in his sophomore season, during which he averaged 20.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while once again playing all 82 games.
Cartwright was a 7’1”, 245-pound big man who was developing into one of the league’s elite centers before lingering foot injuries began to take a toll on his body, forcing him to miss the entire 1984–85 season. Following that year, the Knicks drafted Patrick Ewing. As Ewing developed into the face of the franchise, Cartwright’s playing time and stock diminished year over year before he was ultimately traded to the Chicago Bulls for Charles Oakley and two draft picks.
Throughout eight seasons with the Knicks, Cartwright appeared in 963 games, starting 839 of them. His Knicks career averages were 16.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
#26 Mitchell Robinson — Although Robinson lost to Marcus Camby in WWIB #23, Mitch was the obvious choice for WWIB #26 and earned 93% of the votes on his way to victory
Mitch’s best year came during his rookie season, the lone year he wore #26 before switching to #23. When healthy, Robinson is a force to be reckoned with. But ever since his breakout rookie campaign, his availability has been limited due to multiple injuries. Since his sophomore year, Robinson has missed 38% of the Knicks’ regular-season games, appearing in just 254 out of 410 contests.
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
As a rookie, Robinson appeared in 66 games and started 19. On paper, his numbers were more than modest: he averaged 7.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and an astonishing career-high 2.4 blocks per game. He finished 8th in Rookie of the Year voting. In just the 14th game of the Knicks’ season, Robinson set a new franchise rookie record with nine blocks against Orlando. Less than a month later, he scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 143–120 rout over Atlanta.
His best game of the season came on March 28, 2019, when he became the first Knicks rookie since Willis Reed in 1965 to record 19 points and 21 rebounds. Robinson would finish that season second in the NBA in blocks per game behind Myles Turner and earned a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team. Not too shabby for the 36th overall pick.
When placing your vote, try not to let Robinson’s injuries over the past few years influence your decision. Your vote should be based solely on his lone season wearing #26.