Knicks Find New Leadership Voices in Robinson, Clarkson

Vocal players step up to guide team ahead of playoffs

Mar. 29, 2026 at 12:20am

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The New York Knicks are finding important leadership voices beyond their main stars, with center Mitchell Robinson and guard Jordan Clarkson emerging as vocal leaders who are holding the team accountable and emphasizing the need to improve their approach and connectivity ahead of the postseason.

Why it matters

Having multiple veteran voices providing different perspectives in the locker room is valuable for the Knicks as they look to build on last year's playoff run. Robinson and Clarkson stepping up as leaders, in addition to Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns, gives the team a stronger foundation to lean on.

The details

Mitchell Robinson has been one of the most vocal Knicks players, calling out the team's poor approach in recent games and emphasizing the need for better connectivity ahead of the playoffs. After narrow wins and losses, Robinson has publicly commented on the team's issues, saying 'our approach got to be better' and 'we ain't doing s--t special' unless they change their mindset. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson has also emerged as an important leader, with coach Mike Brown praising his willingness to hold teammates accountable and speak the truth, even if it's not always popular.

  • After the Knicks' one-point win over the Nets last week, Robinson commented on the team's approach.
  • Following the Knicks' loss to the Hornets on Thursday, Robinson posted critical comments on Instagram.

The players

Mitchell Robinson

The Knicks' starting center, who has been with the team since 2018 and is now one of the longest-tenured players. Robinson has taken on a more vocal leadership role, publicly calling out the team's issues and emphasizing the need for better connectivity.

Jordan Clarkson

The Knicks' veteran guard, who coach Mike Brown has identified as another important leader on the team. Clarkson has been praised for his willingness to hold teammates accountable and speak the truth, even if it's unpopular.

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What they’re saying

“'The guys are starting to trust me a lot more. They're putting trust in me, so I'm telling them what I see and things that I think we can get better at. Being more vocal, it's coming naturally. The guys mentioned a few times, I'm the anchor of the defense. They trust me on the defensive end. That helps a lot.'”

— Mitchell Robinson, Knicks Center

“'Our approach got to be better. We can't just look at their record and say, 'we'll whoop their ass.' We just got to be better altogether. Until we figure that part out, then it's going to be a long roller coaster.'”

— Mitchell Robinson, Knicks Center

“'You can have leadership in a lot of different ways. As of late, the reality of it is, a guy like Jordan Clarkson is starting to separate himself and showing that he's one of the leaders of the team. Just because you start, just because you score a ton or shoot a ton, or you're one of the best defenders, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're a leader. Because one of the things is, leaders aren't afraid to tell the truth. They do what they say. Being a leader means you gotta be on point all the time. You can't be worried about whether your teammate likes you at the time because you're saying something that's truthful or you're holding people accountable or not.'”

— Mike Brown, Knicks Head Coach

What’s next

The Knicks will look to continue improving their approach and connectivity as they prepare for the playoffs, with Robinson and Clarkson playing key leadership roles in guiding the team.

The takeaway

The Knicks' success this season will depend on more than just their star players. Having vocal veteran leaders like Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson step up to hold the team accountable and emphasize necessary improvements could be the difference-maker as the team aims to build on last year's playoff run.