Why did Mitchell Robinson skip college?

Mitchell Robinson III is a professional basketball player currently playing the position 5 for the New York Knicks . Born on April 1, 1998, Robinson III played high school basketball at Pine Forest High School in Pensacola, Florida, and later, at Chalmette High School in Chalmette, Louisiana.

At first, he wasn’t a great talent but as soon as he was blessed with a significant growth spurt that propelled him to an impressive 7 ft, he started dominating. By the end of senior year, Robinson emerged as a 5-star athlete, as he led Chalmette to their first district championship in 20 years.

The New York Knicks recognized Robinson's potential and drafted him as the 36th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2018 NBA draft. Robinson has developed a niche as a formidable rim protector and a master of converting alley-oop dunks. Despite being a rookie in the 2018-19 season, he made an immediate impact on the defensive end as he finished second in the NBA in blocked shots per game, trailing only Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. His terrific performances earned him a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team.

As of the 2023-24 season, he has firmly cemented his position as a starting center of the Knicks. His contributions have been instrumental in propelling the Knicks towards the playoffs.

Why did Mitchell Robinson skip college?

Mitchell Robinson III decided to skip college because he wanted to focus on individual training and development, before the 2018 NBA draft.

Following his high school graduation in 2017, Robinson’s journey towards the NBA was truly unconventional. At first, Robinson signed a letter of intent with the Western Kentucky University, to play for their Hilltoppers basketball team, making him WKU’s first ever five star student athlete.

Robinson arrived on campus in early July to play for the Hilltoppers. He practiced with the team for about two weeks before a planned team trip to Costa Rica prior to the start of basketball season. But soon, reports began to circulate that Robinson had left the campus out of nowhere, and to everyone's surprise, his room had been cleaned out.

It was reported that Robinson III visited Louisiana State University, University of Kansas, and the University of New Orleans, as he was hoping for the transfer. According to online sources, Robinson III lost interest in playing for the WKU as soon as he understood that the assistant coach Shammond Williams had been fired, who happened to be Robinson's godfather!

Less than a month after returning to campus, Robinson made a groundbreaking announcement—he would forgo college altogether and prepare for the 2018 NBA draft independently. This decision set him apart as the first recruited draft pick to abstain from playing for any college, professional, or high school/postgraduate team for an entire year before entering the NBA draft. Despite the unconventional route, the NBA credited him as a product of Western Kentucky.

The move sparked discussions about the traditional college-to-NBA path and showcased Robinson's determination to chart his own course. His decision to bypass collegiate play and directly enter the NBA draft created a narrative of independence and self-assurance, challenging the norms of player development in the basketball landscape. Robinson's journey became a testament to the evolving options available to aspiring athletes, opening doors to unconventional paths and alternative routes to the highest levels of the sport.