Mitchell Robinson is off to a hated rival, signing a three-year deal with the Celtics on Wednesday. But, before he shipped up to Boston, the former longest-tenured Knick sent a message to the fans in New York via his Instagram page, thanking the city and the fanbase for eight years of support, which ended in a championship.
"My life is a climb but, the view's great," Robinson wrote. "New York Knicks fans and the whole Knicks organization, the past 8 years have been the highlight of my life. I can't thank you guys enough for the journey and opportunities. I know it's a lot of emotions going around trust me I feel it myself But I will always have love for where it all started! I love you and will miss you! Once a Knick always a Knick."
Robinson's journey began as a second-round pick back in 2018, coming into the NBA with relatively low expectations, but he built himself up to become a great defender and one of the best offensive rebounders in basketball. He endured some of the darkest days of the franchise and stuck around to pull down one of the biggest offensive rebounds in franchise history, grabbing a missed OG Anunoby free throw in the final minute of game five to secure the Knicks' first title in 53 years.
That journey made Robinson a fan favorite, and even after leaving for one of the Knicks' most hated rivals, Robinson will always be a fan favorite in Gotham, a link from the depths of irrelevance to the apex of the NBA world, a view Knicks fans had not experienced in generations.
The homegrown Knick took to social media to thank the fans before heading to Boston.
The homegrown Knick took to social media to thank the fans before heading to Boston.
