Knicks' Mitchell Robinson not too big to help out former coach
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It’s not every day an NBA player has his former high school basketball coach as his roommate, but the story behind Mitchell Robinson and Butch Stockton’s current living situation is a heartwarming one.
Stockton had coached the Knicks big man at Chalmette High School in Louisiana and the connection between the two has remained, so much so that Robinson brought Stockton to New York to live with him following the death of the coach’s wife.
“My wife passed away in September,” Stockton explained to MSG Network’s Rebecca Haarlow during Thursday’s 118-112 Knicks win over the Pistons at the Garden. “When my wife was in the hospital Mitchell came each day to visit her. Became very close to myself and my wife and after the funeral, Mitchell told everyone that he was gonna bring me to New York with him.
“He said, ‘Coach there’s no reason you stay down here in Louisiana anymore. You come to New York with me and enjoy yourself and get your mind back straight because you know how much you loved your wife.’ ”
Stockton’s wife, Dawn, passed away on Sept. 13 at the age of 70 after a brief battle with metastatic cancer, according to an obituary published by the Press-Register (Ala.).
Robinson was a man of his word, and Stockton has been rooming with him since the start of the season.
“It’s just been a great situation, to be honest with you,” Stockton said.
The two have been roommates since September and the plan for is for Stockton to stay with the Knick all year, Robinson said after the game.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau thought the whole setup was “great.”
“Everything I’ve heard about [Stockton], I just think it’s great,” Thibodeau said after Robinson scored six points with nine rebounds Thursday. “I think it’s great for Mitch. I’m excited that that’s happening.”
Robinson seemed more than happy to help out a person in his life that he felt “helped me get to where I’m at.”
Stockton and Robinson have been watching Christmas movies together and Stockton has helped look after Robinson’s dogs.
“He’s a great guy,” Robinson said. “Bringing him along with me after everything that happened in the summer. It works out for the best. I can help him out like he helped me.”
He added: “It’s the least that I can do. It’s been cool.”
Stockton, a member of the Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, spoke glowingly about how much of a caring person Robinson is.
The two first crossed paths after Robinson had moved to New Orleans in 2015 before 11th grade and Stockton had gotten a tip about a tall kid walking around the neighborhood.
Their relationship clearly grew from there.
“I can’t thank Mitchell enough and I’ll be honest with you, I’ve really enjoyed it up here,” Stockton said. “Especially staying at Mitchell’s house. Like another roommate I guess.”
— Additional reporting by Peter Botte
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