Mitchell Robinson’s first planned appearance with the Boston Celtics didn’t go as scheduled on Tuesday, but the reason had nothing to do with basketball.
Robinson was set to join Paul George and Mike Conley for an introductory press conference, then the team announced just before it began that he would miss the question-and-answer session because of a family matter. Robinson later explained on Facebook that the issue involved an accident in which his brother was hit by a car while out for a run.
In a Snapchat video, Robinson said his brother wanted him to address the chatter surrounding the missed event.
“Yesterday, around 6 a.m. he was hit by a car,” Robinson said in the video. “He told me to come make a video because he was in the comments and I guess he reads what people say, and I'm just like, bro, don't worry about them.”
Robinson also said on Snapchat that his brother is doing fine and should be out of the hospital soon. The clarification came after comments about Robinson missing a team event appeared to bother his brother online.
Robinson has long dealt with injury concerns, and the Celtics are expected to handle his workload carefully this season. That likely means he’ll be held out of back-to-back games, even though he’s viewed as a significant upgrade at center and a contender for a starting role.
The emotional side of the story isn’t new for Robinson, either. He recently said his broken hand before the playoffs came after his reaction to another car accident involving his brother.
In a Facebook post, Robinson wrote, in part, “Without going into details about my upbringing, I am extremely protective of my siblings, whom I care for deeply. 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.
I did not see the messages until I arrived home late that night …
"As the eldest sibling, I felt a deep sense of concern, and I immediately went into panic mode," he added. "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.”
Robinson is expected to be back with the team for media day on September 28th. For the Celtics, he remains one of the more notable additions in the room, and Brad Stevens made it clear the team notices the presence he brings.
“When these guys all get in the building, again, you can feel their presence,” Stevens said on Tuesday. “And I think Mitch, too.
When Mitch came into the building for the first time, first of all it’s kind of jarring how big he is, obviously. It’s good we don’t have to block him out.
And that’s part of a new team, and there’s an excitement and anticipation any time there’s a new team.”
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