New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was the talk of the town in last night’s 137-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, recording his best game of the season so far. Robinson finished with eight points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks on an impressive 80% field-goal shooting across just 16 minutes of play.
The 27-year-old caught the attention of many basketball fans, including former Knicks head coach and current St. John’s men’s basketball coach, Rick Pitino. While on the Thursday morning episode of Boomer and Gio, Pitino jokingly shared his thoughts on Robinson’s free-throw shooting — or lack thereof.
“I hit Thibs one time and said, ‘I can help him shoot free throws if you want to bring him over to St. John’s.’ Then I watched again last night and said, ‘Maybe I can’t.’”
“I hit Thibs one time and said ‘I can help him shoot free throws’…Then I watched again last night and said ‘maybe I can’t’”
— Rick Pitino on Mitchell Robinson
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— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 6, 2025
Not only did the room fill with laughter among all three individuals, but it came in response to Robinson missing his one and only free-throw attempt of the night — his lone trip to the line this season. The shot hit the front of the rim, denying him an and-one opportunity and sparking a few chuckles online.
Free throws have long been Robinson’s Achilles heel. For his career, he’s shooting just 52.1% from the charity stripe, a number that has haunted him in late-game situations. During the 2025 postseason, opponents often employed the “Hack-a-Mitch” strategy, sending him to the line intentionally. In the first round against the Detroit Pistons, he connected on only 26.7% of his free throws. He improved slightly in the second round versus the Boston Celtics, hitting 45.2%, but his mechanics still left plenty of room for growth.
As for Pitino, he served as the Knicks’ head coach from 1987 to 1989, guiding the team to two playoff appearances and helping lay the foundation for future success. Now leading the St. John’s Red Storm, Pitino coached the program to a Big East Tournament title in 2025 before falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Arkansas.
Although Pitino has more than enough wisdom — and the credentials — to offer a coaching tip or two, he’ll join many fans in keeping a close eye on Robinson’s progress at the line. Hopefully, the big man can find consistency and raise that free-throw percentage as the season continues.
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