BOSTON — Mitchell Robinson admitted leaving the New York Knicks was difficult after eight seasons with the franchise, signing a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Boston Celtics in free agency. The 28-year-old center said his feelings toward the city remain unchanged despite the business decision to end his long tenure in New York.
“I love New York. I fell in love with it once the time went on, got used to it, and stuff like that,” Robinson said on KnicksFanTV, via HoopsHype. “It is what it is. This is a business at the end of the day, and sometimes things just come to an end. Unfortunately, this is one of those things. But I love New York, I fell in love with it.”
Robinson joined the Knicks as the No. 36 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and developed into one of the league’s most effective interior finishers and offensive rebounders. Across eight seasons he has averaged 7.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game while shooting 70.2% from the field, with his offensive role centered on finishes around the basket and work on the offensive glass. Last season he averaged 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per game, shooting 72.3% from the field and ranking among the NBA’s most productive offensive rebounders with 4.2 offensive boards per game.
Availability has been his biggest challenge. Robinson has played at least 60 games in only four of his eight seasons, including 60 games in 2025-26 after appearing in just 17 games the previous season. The Celtics are hoping he can provide a consistent interior presence alongside Neemias Queta and Luka Garza after Nikola Vucevic’s departure — Queta started 75 of his 76 games last season averaging 10.2 points and 8.4 rebounds, while Garza averaged 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds. “Right now, I’m just so confident in myself…I feel like this is going to be a great year for me. As you can see, I’m starting to take recovery a lot more seriously,” Robinson recently said.