Who would you consider the best at each individual skill in the NBA?
Is Luka Doncic the best pure scorer? Is Nikola Jokic or Tyrese Haliburton the best pure playmaker? Is Stephen Curry the best shooter? Is Victor Wembanyama the best defender? When healthy, does Kyrie Irving have the best handles?
But notice how all of those guys are superstars. All of them have millions of kids around the globe draped in their jerseys, have multiple endorsement deals, and are recognized as pillars of the game. But can
you say the same for, say, the best rebounder?
In terms of overall rebounding, it’s hard to quantify who’s the best at the overall skill exactly, but in terms of offensive rebounding? It’s very clearly one man, a backup center for the New York Knicks who makes just $14 million a year and almost never plays more than 27 minutes in a game.
Robinson is an artist at what he does. It’s not as simple as camping in the paint as the team’s lob threat; it’s all about positioning. He always seems to be in the right spot, reading the ball in the air to see the way it would bounce off the rim. You’ll naturally get enough offensive rebounds as a center just from standing there, but to do what Robinson does consistently? You have to be an artist.
Over the last five seasons, Robinson has per-36 averages of 6.4 OREB per game. In 2025-26, he’s pushed that number to an impossible 8.1, which leads all players who’ve played at least 10 games (Steven Adams, 7.1). He also towers over the likes of Donovan Clingan and Andre Drummond, two elite rebounders, in total rebounds per 36 (16.4).
It’s even baffling on a team-by-team basis. By himself, he’d be tied for 18th in the NBA in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. There are 10 entire teams he is outrebounding on a rate basis by himself. His offensive rebounding prowess is a big reason why the Knicks have had a supercharged net rating despite efficiency numbers on both sides of the ball not being inherently elite.
You want to know what impact looks like? I went and looked at each of his 235 offensive rebounds this season, through Sunday’s win over the lowly Wizards, and sorted them by result:
Mitch layup/dunk attempt: 90 (51 made, 56.7%)
2-point attempt: 18 (7 made, 38.9%)
3-point attempt: 67 (28 made, 41.8%)
Foul: 29 (17-32 FT, not just Mitch)
Turnover: 16 (11 by Mitch himself)
Other: 11
Here are some other stats:
- 24 of Mitchell Robinson’s 50 assists on the season are off his OREB, 18 of them three-pointers.
- Only twice in 53 games has he been held without an offensive rebound. He has more games with eight (8) than he has fewer than two (5). That’s consistency.
- Here’s how other players are shooting off of Robinson’s OREB:
Brunson: 11-17 (10-14 3pt)
Bridges: 2-14 (2-13 3pt)
Clarkson: 4-11 (2-6 3pt)
Anunoby: 5-9 (4-7 3pt)
Towns: 6-7 (2-2 3pt)
Kolek: 3-7 (3-5 3pt)
Hart: 1-5 (0-2 3pt)
Shamet: 3-4 (3-4 3pt)
McBride: 1-4 (1-4 3pt)
Let’s put something else in perspective. Robinson’s penchant for getting the team extra possessions has stolen multiple wins. These are all the games that, if the Knicks don’t score the points they do off his offensive rebounds, they lose the game:
- 11/19 @ DAL
- 12/25 vs CLE
- 12/27 @ ATL
- 1/24 @ PHI
- 2/4 vs DEN
- 3/15 vs GSW
- 3/24 vs NOLA
That Dallas game, if you remember, saw a controversial Brandon Williams offensive foul crush the shorthanded Mavericks’ dreams of an upset. Mitch’s three offensive rebounds led to five points in a two-point win.
On Christmas Day against Cleveland, Robinson grabbed eight offensive rebounds and it led directly to 13 points, including three triples in the fourth quarter of the miraculous comeback.
Two nights later, against Atlanta, the Knicks would’ve blown a huge lead if not for Robinson’s four offensive rebounds leading to six points.
Three days after a beatdown of Brooklyn ended the 11-game skid from hell, the Knicks held off a mostly healthy Sixers squad in Philly, thanks to Mitch’s six OREB that led to seven points.
That double overtime game against Denver never gets to overtime without Robinson’s putback layup in the first quarter.
They would’ve taken that embarrassing loss to a heavily shorthanded Warriors team in MSG without Robinson’s three offensive rebounds leading to four points.
Last night, against a suddenly healthy Pelicans team, the Knicks scored seven points off his four offensive rebounds.
Imagine the Knicks with six more losses. They’d be 41-32 and tied for sixth in the East. Imagine how toxic social media would be then, when it’s this toxic already with the Knicks tying the Celtics for the No. 2 seed.
Without Robinson’s offensive rebounding alone, the Knicks would be in danger of falling into the play-in tournament.
It’s going to be interesting to see what the offseason looks like with Robinson’s expiring contract and how the Knicks will be able to manage him, Mo Diawara, and Jose Alvarado’s impending free agencies while juggling the second apron, but we don’t have to worry about that for now.
Just enjoy greatness while you can. It’s not often you get a unicorn who’s this special at something like this.
