NY Knicks, Mitchell Robinson, Nerlens Noel (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Last March after Mitchell Robinson went down with a fractured foot against the Milwaukee Bucks, just three games after he returned from a hand injury, many fans weren’t sure about Nerlens Noel’s ability to replace him.
In the following two months, as the playoffs rapidly approached, Noel proved to both fans and critics that he was a top-tier rim protector, averaging over 2.5 blocks a game across the final 18 games of the season.
His performances down the stretch earned him a three-year contract with the NY Knicks worth up to $31 million.