Getty Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks misses a dunk during the second half of an NBA In-Season Tournament game against the Charlotte Hornets.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson clarified his series of posts, showing support for former president Donald Trump following the failed assassination attempt on July 13, that drew backlash from some of his and the team’s fans.
“[Laugh out loud] I don’t care about that election [expletive]. My only thing about this is it’s the fact that the dude got shot at like don’t get me wrong a lot of people get shot at on a daily basis and nobody talks about it and it’s wrong. I’m like this — I have a daughter and for someone to have all that security and still almost die after that, now I’m like damn! What about my daughter’s safety? That’s all big dawg,” Robinson clarified on his Instagram story, as shared by New York Basketball on X.
Mitchell Robinson on IG:
The 26-year-old Robinson, who hails from Louisiana, which has long been a red state, per Associated Press, did not categorically identify himself as a Democrat or Republican.
Mitchell Robinson’s Donald Trump Post Drew Mixed Reactions
The Knicks center sent a message of prayer for Trump shortly after the news of shots fired during the former president’s political rally in Pennsylvania.
“Prayers for Trump,” Robinson posted on his private X account, as shared by New York Basketball.
Mitchell Robinson on X:
Then Robinson followed it up with an Instagram story sharing a photo of a bloodied Trump raising his fist as Secret Service agents rushed him off the stage.
Mitchell Robinson on Instagram:
Fans had mixed reactions to Robinson’s post.
One fan, who goes by his X handle, @JackNJ2023, commented: “Trade him.”
Another fan, who goes by his X handle, @nefariousnk, said: “Brother is confused.”
One more fan, whose X handle is @lucrodontmiss, said: “[He] should shut up and dribble.”
But some applauded Robinson’s post.
One fan identified himself as Anthony J. Franco and commented: “Extend his contract ASAP.”
Another fan, who identified himself as Frank Russo, said: “Take guts in our society to be openly opposed to the left-wing nonsense. Good to know we’re rooting for a patriot off the court.”
Knicks Looking for Mitchell Robinson Backup
In the wake of Isaiah Hartenstein‘s departure, the Knicks have been searching for a capable backup center as insurance for the injury-prone Robinson, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
“Who are they going to get to play backup center [to] Mitchell Robinson? He has a history of getting hurt, so you need a backup center who can start 30 games next season,” Begley said on SNY’s SportsNite on July 13. “And I know they’ve continued to be in touch with Precious Achiuwa, their own free agent. I think they’ve also had casual trade talks with some high-salaried veteran centers on the trade market. So we’ll continue to keep an eye on that.”
Hartenstein left for the Oklahoma City Thunder, signing a three-year, $87 million deal, which was more than the four-year, $72 million the Knicks could offer due to his early Bird Rights.
Robinson is coming off two surgeries on his left ankle, which sidelined him for 50 games in the regular season and the second round of the NBA Playoffs which the Knicks eventually lost in seven games against a healthier Indiana Pacers team. He had missed 71 games over the last two seasons.