After Some Surprising News, Fans Are Wondering — What Happened to Mitchell Robinson?
He went on to thank his followers for their "love and support" and to let them know that "it will never go unnoticed."
Published May 26 2026, 2:47 p.m. ET
Content warning: This article mentions mental health issues.
New York Knicks center/center-forward Mitchell “Big Country” Robinson has been the cause of concern for many basketball fans. After a series of controversies and a recent, surprising announcement, people wonder whether or not his NBA career will continue.
The public is asking what happened to the player and when he will be back on the court. Luckily, Mitchell has shared some news, giving fans some answers to their burning questions.
What happened to Mitchell Robinson?
Despite his undeniable talent, as evidenced by starting off 2026 with 22 rebounds in a 101–92 win, Mitchell has become a liability to his team. While his basketball playing is certainly well-received, Mitchell's other on-court behavior has called his spot on the Knicks into question.
The player got into an on-court spat with fellow athlete Dyson Daniels, resulting in both men getting kicked out of the game. Adding fuel to the fire, Mitchell made a rather inappropriate social media post after the incident, earning him a $50,000 fine from the NBA for the whole ordeal.
At the time, Mitchell revealed via social media that he "Knew something was gonna happen." Per the New York Times, the athlete shared, "My mental is just not the same. I’m just lost in the world at the moment."
It was on that note that Mitchell decided to step away from the public for a while to focus on said mental health issues. Late May, 2026, the athlete made a series of social media posts and public statements explaining that he was deleting all social media apps, changing his phone number, and taking time to work on himself.
Mitchell posted on Facebook, "Last post before I delete this app. I finally have changed my number for many reasons, as I fight through and keep fighting in this playoff run, my focus has to go to another level. This is the start of a new chapter in my life. Love and will miss y’all…. Mitch, out!"
Similarly, he wrote on Snapchat, "I'm deleting all apps for a little while, until I can get back to myself. I had a very upsetting experience a few days ago. I'm not gonna go into detail about it. Just gonna focus on the playoffs and myself. ... My mental health is not the best right now, but I am fighting to get back on track while playing on the biggest stage in the world." He went on to thank his followers for their "love and support" and to let them know that "it will never go unnoticed."
Thankfully, it seems Mitchell will continue to play for the Knicks, as he is scheduled to compete in the team's June 3, 2026, game against the winner of the Western Conference Finals. That said, he's made it clear that fans shouldn't expect to hear from him off the court.
With no definitive date set for Mitchell's return to public life, we'll all just have to wait until he feels ready to rejoin social media with an update. Until then, fans around the world wish him all the best.