Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Mitchell Robinson

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 22, 2026

Discover the career path of Mitchell Robinson, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Mitchell Robinson III is an American professional basketball player currently playing center for the New York Knicks in the NBA. Notably, he bypassed college basketball, opting to train independently during the 2017-2018 season after withdrawing from Western Kentucky University. He was drafted into the NBA as the 36th overall pick in the 2018 draft.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

February 2017: Recruiting Acclaim at Western Kentucky

In February 2017, basketball writer Jason Frakes noted that Mitchell Robinson "may go down as the biggest recruiting coup in WKU basketball history" after he committed to play college basketball at Western Kentucky following a de-commitment from Texas A&M.

August 2017: Visits and Return to Western Kentucky

In August 2017, Mitchell Robinson visited Louisiana State University, University of Kansas, and the University of New Orleans, and on August 27, he returned to Western Kentucky after initially leaving the campus a month prior.

2017: McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand Classic Participation

In 2017, Mitchell Robinson played in the McDonald's All-American Boys Game, scoring 14 points and also participated in the Jordan Brand Classic, scoring 15 points.

2017: National Team Roster

In 2017, Mitchell Robinson was named to the preliminary roster of the United States national under-19 team but did not make the final cut for the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.

2017: Training Decision

Mitchell Robinson withdrew from his commitment to Western Kentucky University to dedicate the entire 2017–18 season for training on his own.

June 21, 2018: Drafted by New York Knicks

On June 21, 2018, Mitchell Robinson was selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.

July 8, 2018: Signs with Knicks

On July 8, 2018, Mitchell Robinson signed a multi-year, rookie-scale contract with the New York Knicks.

2018: NBA Draft and Training Decision

In 2018, Mitchell Robinson was selected with the 36th overall pick in the NBA draft. Earlier, he gained national attention for withdrawing from Western Kentucky University for the 2017–18 season to train on his own, becoming the first player to make this decision.

2018: NBA Draft Preparation Announcement

On September 18, 2017, Mitchell Robinson announced he would forgo college and prepare for the 2018 NBA draft on his own accord.

March 28, 2019: Season Highs vs Raptors

On March 28, 2019, Mitchell Robinson recorded season highs of 19 points and 21 rebounds in the Knicks' loss to the Toronto Raptors, becoming the first Knicks rookie since Willis Reed in 1965 to record 19 points and 21 rebounds in a game.