Mitchell Robinson Hand Injury From Punching Truck During NBA Finals Amid Family Tragedy

Mitchell Robinson has explained that the hand injury which threatened his NBA Finals participation happened away from the court, saying the damage came when Robinson punched a truck after learning that Robinson’s youngest brother had been badly hurt in a car crash.

The former New York Knicks centre later had surgery on the hand yet still featured in every game of the championship series against the San Antonio Spurs, before signing a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Boston Celtics last week.

After the procedure, medical staff listed Robinson as questionable for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against San Antonio, but Robinson was cleared and played all five contests, averaging 3.6 points and 5.6 rebounds as the Knicks ended a 53-year wait for an NBA title.

Knicks coach Mike Brown had already clarified during the Finals that the Mitchell Robinson injury was not related to any match action or practice incident, though Brown did not then reveal the cause was to Robinson’s knuckles following New York’s Eastern Conference finals victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Robinson used a Facebook post on Sunday to describe how the Mitchell Robinson injury followed an emotional reaction when family members called after that Cleveland series, telling Robinson that Robinson’s youngest brother had been involved in a serious road accident while Robinson had already flown back to New York.

In that post Robinson detailed the shock, writing: "Upon returning to New York, I received an unexpected phone call, and my family members contacted me, informing me that my youngest brother had been involved in a car accident," Robinson wrote. "As the eldest sibling, I felt a deep sense of concern, and I immediately went into panic mode. I began returning calls and texts, and when I FaceTimed my brother, I thought he was deceased. He was wearing a neck brace, unresponsive, and not speaking. I broke down in tears, feeling like a failure for not being able to protect my siblings. Being 910 miles away, I felt helpless. In a moment of frustration, I banged my hand on my truck."

Mitchell Robinson injury, contract and season context

Robinson’s new agreement with Boston follows a campaign in which the Mitchell Robinson injury scare almost overshadowed Robinson’s contribution to New York’s championship run, with the centre playing through the hand problem after surgery and helping secure the franchise’s first league crown since 1973.

Mental health, sacrifice and Mitchell Robinson injury season

Robinson also shared that the Mitchell Robinson injury season included mental health challenges, saying Robinson met doctors for support and wanted people to consider unseen issues, writing: "Before judging someone, it is essential to understand their circumstances, which may not be publicly known. Life is unpredictable, and it is how we respond to challenges that truly matters," he wrote.

Robinson added that the campaign involved personal sacrifice, explaining that Robinson reduced time with Robinson’s daughter so that focus stayed on basketball and long-term security, saying Robinson wanted to give a better future than the one Robinson experienced while still managing the emotional impact of the hand injury and family crisis.