The "Block Ness Monster" appears ready to return.
Mitchell Robinson is reportedly going to make his season debut for the New York Knicks on Friday night, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Should he check in against the Grizzlies in Memphis, it'll be the centre's first NBA action since Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in May of last year.
He's been sidelined since due to a foot injury. Robinson underwent surgery in the off-season to repair the issue and has been recovering until now.
Injury concerns have been the norm for the 26-year-old throughout much of his six-year career in the NBA. He's played over 65 games in a season twice, and since amassing 72 appearances in 2021-22, he played in just 59 and 31 games the next two seasons, respectively.
Robinson holds averages of 8.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks on 70.1 per cent shooting through 302 career games. New York drafted him with the 36th overall pick in 2018.
The seven-footer will be a welcome addition for the Knicks. While their offence has remained potent, good enough for a 38-20 record and third in the East, their defence has left much to be desired. New York ranks 20th on that end, a stark contrast to their third ranked offence. Getting a rim deterrent like Robinson back in the lineup ought to help things a bit.
