For weeks, Mitchell Robinson carried two burdens.
One was visible.
The fractured right hand that nearly kept him out of the NBA Finals.
The other remained private.
Until now.
More than a month after helping the New York Knicks capture their first NBA championship since 1973, current Boston Celtics center Mitchell Robinson publicly revealed for the first time how the injury occurred—and the deeply personal family emergency that led to it.
In a lengthy statement posted on Facebook on Saturday, Robinson explained that he fractured his hand after learning his youngest brother had been involved in a serious car accident just days before the NBA Finals.
“I thought he was deceased,” Robinson wrote.
The revelation finally answers one of the biggest unanswered questions from New York’s championship run.
Family Emergency Led to Emotional Moment
Robinson said the incident unfolded shortly after the Knicks clinched the Eastern Conference title over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
When the team returned to New York, he discovered missed calls and messages informing him that his youngest brother had been involved in a car accident.
As the oldest sibling, Robinson said he immediately feared the worst.
“When I FaceTimed my brother, I thought he was deceased,” Robinson wrote. “He was wearing a neck brace, unresponsive, and not speaking.”
Robinson said he broke down in tears, blaming himself for not being able to protect his family while being hundreds of miles away.
Overwhelmed by emotion, he struck his truck with his hand.
“In a moment of frustration, I banged my hand on my truck,” Robinson wrote.
That impact fractured the fifth metacarpal in his right hand, requiring surgery and suddenly placing his availability for the NBA Finals in jeopardy.
Mystery Surrounded Injury Before NBA Finals
At the time, neither Robinson nor the Knicks disclosed how the injury occurred.
Head coach Mike Brown repeatedly stated only that Robinson had not suffered the injury during a game or practice.
When reporters pressed for additional details, the organization declined to elaborate.
The lack of information fueled widespread speculation.
Many fans believed Robinson had been injured during the Eastern Conference finals after television cameras showed him favoring his hand following a loose-ball sequence against Cleveland.
Brown quickly dismissed that theory.
ESPN insider Shams Charania later reported that Robinson had injured the hand at his home during the week before the Finals, but the exact circumstances remained unknown until Robinson’s Facebook statement.
Robinson Played Through Pain to Help Deliver Knicks Championship
GettyFormer New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama battle for a rebound during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals in San Antonio, Texas. Robinson finished with 10 rebounds, including a pivotal late offensive board that helped seal New York’s first NBA championship in 53 years.
Despite undergoing surgery only days before the NBA Finals, Robinson returned in time to contribute to New York’s title run.
Doctors eventually cleared him to play with a protective brace, and Robinson embraced a limited but impactful role as the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to secure the franchise’s first championship in more than five decades.
Robinson averaged 3.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 13.4 minutes per game during the Finals, providing his trademark offensive rebounding, rim protection and physicality off the bench.
His biggest contribution came in the championship-clinching Game 5.
With 21.6 seconds remaining and the Knicks protecting a four-point lead, Josh Hart missed the second of two free throws. Robinson secured the offensive rebound, allowing New York to retain possession, drain more time off the clock and effectively seal the victory.
Looking back, Robinson said the broken hand represented only one of the many challenges he endured throughout the season.
“So at the end of the day I battled with so much throughout this season,” Robinson wrote. “Even made a huge sacrifice to not see my daughter as much this season because I needed to focus and lock in so she can have a better future than I did.”
Perspective Beyond Basketball
Robinson also addressed criticism he received after details surrounding the injury remained unclear.
Without directly responding to speculation, he urged people to remember that athletes often deal with personal struggles the public never see.
“Before judging someone, it is essential to understand their circumstances, which may not be publicly known,” Robinson wrote. “Life is unpredictable, and it is how we respond to challenges that truly matters.”
Now beginning the next chapter of his career with the Celtics, Robinson has given Knicks fans a fuller understanding of what he was carrying during the most important weeks of the franchise’s championship season.
His statement did more than solve the mystery behind his injury.
It revealed the emotional burden he carried throughout New York’s title run and cast one of the defining moments of the NBA Finals in a new light.
In the end, Robinson not only returned to play through pain but also delivered one of the championship’s biggest hustle plays that helped seal the Knicks’ long-awaited title.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Mitchell Robinson Finally Reveals Truth Behind Knicks Finals Injury appeared first on HEAVY.