The Los Angeles Lakers selected center Mitchell Robinson with the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft in David Aldridge’s mock draft.
The Los Angeles Lakers are putting the final preparations for the 2018 NBA Draft. NBA reporter and TNT analyst David Aldridge released his mock draft today.
After lamenting specifically why he dislikes doing mock drafts (unpredictability, incredible scrutiny), he detailed the needs of each team and their likely selections. Aldridge had the Lakers selecting 7’0 Center, Mitchell Robinson, with the 25th pick.
The 20-year old Robinson has been talked about greatly leading up to this year’s draft. He is one of the more mysterious draft prospects this year when you consider his complete profile.
Robinson was prolific at the high school level, showcasing incredible footwork and movement along with his size. However, in an odd fashion, he withdrew from attending Western Kentucky University at the beginning of last fall after enrolling.
Thus, Robinson has a very small sample size of meaningful games or stats to go off of. Furthermore, he’s played against elite competition only sparingly.
Without having the luxury of playing in college and grooming his abilities, draft scouts are unsure how the center will fare in the NBA.
The 7-foot prospect is widely known for his defensive prowess. His shot-blocking abilities are incredible for his age. With a 7’10 wingspan, Robinson could be a serious rim protector at the next level. His ability to dive to the rim and command help defense from wing defenders would free up shooters on any team.
Some impressive moments from Mitchell Robinson here in LA. Effortless athlete with elite agility at 7-1 with a 7-4 wingspan and a 9-3 standing reach. Potential as a vertical spacer. pic.twitter.com/OlPpz6yOFf
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) May 31, 2018
The above video clearly shows Robinson’s light footwork and ability to quickly roll to the rim. Additionally, Robinson has shown flashes of being able to space the floor, attempting to develop a reliable 3-point shot. All of these factors could make Robinson an interesting pick for any team.
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However, there are many asterisks against him that have teams wary of taking him too early in the draft. Not only did he drop out from college unexpectedly, but also withdrew from the draft combine the day of. With no clear combine metrics to go off of, many teams are relying on high school stats of Robinson.
So what are those stats? Well, they certainly aren’t shabby. Robinson averaged 25.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and six blocks his senior year. He also led his team to the state semi-finals in Florida. He averaged 34.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 7.8 blocks during the state playoff run.
These numbers seem to point to the raw potential Robinson has. Yet, too many scouts seem to describe him as a “high-upside, low floor” center. With so many teams unsure about his fit, the Lakers might be just the right team to give him a chance.
One of the areas the Lakers are in great need of is a center. After acquiring Brook Lopez on a one-year rental, it became apparent that Luke Walton’s offensive system requires a space-and-pace center who is athletic and quick. Brook’s inability to dive to the rim for lobs, get back quickly on defense or rotate on defense to protect the rim made L.A.’s defense weak. Though not NBA ready, Robinson could provide all of those things.
Another reason for the Lakers to take Robinson is that this summer for the Lakers is all about the LeBron sweepstakes and possibly signing Paul George. With Lopez leaving in FA, the Lakers need either a rental at the center position or they can take a chance with Robinson.
Either way, someone will be playing center for the Lakers next year. They will certainly be under the least amount of spotlight of players that will or could be on next season’s roster. Therefore, the Lakers seemingly can afford to take a risk on Robinson.
Despite the lack of collegiate experience, Mitchell Robinson appears to have huge upside. The 7-foot center fits the current popular NBA trend of a “stretch-center” who can protect the rim yet, guard multiple positions and space the floor with their jump-shot.
Next: Lakers: 5 Centers To Consider In 2018 NBA Draft
It would be wise for the Lakers to take a chance on the 20-year old center.