From Chalmette to World Champion: Mitchell Robinson's NBA Journey

A former Louisiana high school basketball star is now a World Champion. This weekend, the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to clinch their first championship in decades.

For some, this was a big upset. Because a lot of the focus from the basketball world was on San Antonio and their otherworldly superstar Victor Wembanyama. But for basketball fans in Louisiana who follow high school basketball knew there was a big roadblock Wembanyama was would need to overcome.

That roadblock has a name, one that some basketball players in Shreveport know very well. His name is Mitchell Robinson...

From Chalmette To NBA Champion

Mitchell Robinson is a former All-State basketball star for Chalmette High School in St. Bernard Parish.

While Robinson started his high school career in Florida, he didn't turn into a hardwood powerhouse until he moved to Louisiana. He was still learning basketball as he started his junior year at Chalmette; he only started playing basketball in 8th grade. But he stepped onto the floor to play summer basketball in Chalmette at 6'10 and everyone took notice.

Over the next few years, Robinson would elevate Chalmette basketball to new levels. His first year, the team won an LHSAA playoff game for the first time in almost 20 years when they beat Walker 85-70. They would end up losing to the eventual state champions, Natchitoches Central, 53-45...but Robinson and Chalmette gave them everything they could handle.

His senior year brought big expectations for the team, and himself. That year, Robinson delivered. He averaged 25.7 points per game, 12.6 rebounds per game, and 6 blocks per game. He was named as a McDonald's All-American, and an All-American honorable mention by Naismith and MaxPreps. Robinson was named All State by USA Today and The Advocate. For his team...he led them to their first district championship in 21 years. They took the season all the way to the LHSAA semifinals, going through Shreveport's Southwood in the process.

During the LHSAA playoff run his senior year, Mitchell averaged 34.5 points per game, 13.5 rebounds per game, and 7.8 blocks per game. They ended up losing in the semifinals to Bonnabel.

He left high school as a 5-star recruit, and a big name in the college basketball recruiting world. The #8 overall recruit in the nation, and the #1 center that year.

Robinson's College Career Confusion

When he was selected by the Knicks in the NBA Draft, they credited Western Kentucky has his college...but Robinson never played there.

Western Kentucky incredibly won a heavy recruiting battle over major programs like Kansas, LSU, Texas A&M, and Alabama. At the time, some suggested that Robinson's godfather, Shammond Williams, being on the coaching staff helped land the commitment.

He did enroll in Western Kentucky to play basketball, but he never played a game. During summer practices, Robinson apparently violated team rules, and left campus.

During the next few months, Robinson would go over options, eventually deciding to declare for the NBA Draft.

Mitchell Robinson Uses Defense To Help Knicks Win

The New York Knicks took Robinson with the 36th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Meaning he was drafted into the NBA without playing any organized basketball between his high school career and NBA Draft.

Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Over his NBA career, Robinson has fluctuated between a starter and 6th man. Mostly based on what the coaching staff at the time was trying to accomplish. He's averaged 23.4 minutes per game during his career, with 7.5 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game, and 1.7 blocks per game.

Its never been about Robinson's offense at the NBA level, its about his defense. He was labeled as being the best shot blocker in his rookie class, and averaged almost 2.5 blocks per game his rookie year. His rebounding and ability to protect the rim have made him a big reason why the Knicks have been able to make noise in the NBA postseason for the last three years.