New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson made his political stance plain this week after a fan questioned him directly on Instagram. The exchange started when someone commented on one of Robinson’s posts with the loaded question: “How do you support Trump as a Black man in America?”
Robinson didn’t hesitate. His reply was simple and direct: “I don’t.” The fan responded with “Cool,” and another chimed in with “Thanks GOAT.”
The whole thing played out in public view, and a clip of the interaction spread fast on social media. It’s not exactly a surprise. Robinson has never been loud about his politics, but he’s also never pretended to be something he isn’t.
The timing matters here. The Knicks just won the NBA Finals, and team owner James Dolan confirmed they accepted an invitation from President Donald Trump to visit the White House. Dolan is a known friend of Trump and even invited him to Game 3 of the Finals at Madison Square Garden. That move alone got fans talking about how players would handle the visit.
Will Robinson actually go to the White House?
Nobody knows yet. Robinson hasn’t said whether he plans to attend. His teammate Jose Alvarado, when asked about it, basically said he’d follow the group. “If there’s a chance, I’m going wherever my teammate goes,” Alvarado said.
Before the Finals even started, fans were already joking about how Robinson might act around Trump. One post got a reply from Robinson himself saying, “You ain’t lying brother.” But joking around is different from endorsing someone, and Robinson’s Instagram reply makes his personal feelings pretty clear.
None of this means Robinson skips the visit. Plenty of athletes have gone to the White House over the years even when they disagreed with the president. It’s usually treated as a team thing, not an individual political statement. But Robinson has now publicly separated himself from Trump’s support base, which puts the spotlight on his decision whenever the date gets set.
Robinson’s role in the Finals run
Offensively, Robinson wasn’t a huge factor in the Finals. He averaged just 3.6 points per game and shot 4-of-15 from the free throw line. But his defense was critical, especially when Karl-Anthony Towns got into foul trouble and Robinson had to guard Victor Wembanyama for extended stretches. That’s a brutal assignment for anybody, and Robinson held his own.
This was his eighth season with the Knicks. Drafted in the second round back in 2018, he’s started 215 games and played in 397 total. He usually comes off the bench when Towns needs a breather, and that role suits him fine. He’s never been the star, but he’s been there the whole time, which is rare in today’s NBA.
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