New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Knicks center makes bombshell allegation about NBA hygiene

By Sean Keane | Last updated 11/30/23

Mitchell Robinson has a theory about the color of NBA basketballs: Players don't wash their hands.

The New York Knicks center's allegations stemmed from a question about whether the Knicks' orange-heavy tournament court would make it difficult to see the ball. Robinson rejected the premise of the inquiry, saying "I always thought the ball was brown."

He and teammate Jalen Brunson agreed that while a basketball may begin its NBA life colored orange, a ball that's broken in becomes brown. Why brown? Robinson had a quick answer.

“People here don’t wash their hands," Robinson said. "There’s a few people in this league that wash their hands. A few of them. But I can. I do. I wash my hands.”

That's a serious allegation in the post-pandemic NBA. But it's obvious that some of the league's biggest stars are contributing to the basketballs getting dirty.

Take Steph Curry, who is constantly handling, adjusting and occasionally throwing his mouthpiece, ensuring that the basketball and his hands are covered in his saliva.

Steve Nash used to lick his fingers to get a better grip on the ball, making his tongue a part of his free throw routine.

Not every All-Star was like that. Talking to Nash in 2008, Chris Paul said he wouldn't lick his fingers because "I'm a germaphobe," but admitted to constantly wiping sweat from his arms to better handle the ball.

But aside from the saliva-related grossness of the basketballs, Robinson's comments are an indictment of the Knicks' general attitude toward hand-washing. After all, Robinson has played for the Knicks his entire career. The Knicks locker room is the only one he knows, so what Robinson is really saying is that most of his teammates don't wash their hands.

It's troubling, but it does offer a possible endorsement opportunity for Robinson. After all, there's no better potential spokesman for hand soap in the entire league.

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