Josh Hart has recently been at the center of mockery. His New York Knicks teammate, Mitchell Robinson, trolled him publicly while reminding him about the 2018 Summer League. Following this, the duo started an unusual back-and-forth, catching NBA fans’ attention.
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Robinson first shared a clip of their matchup from the tournament on his Instagram story. It showed him blocking the shot attempt of Hart, who was representing the Los Angeles Lakers at that time. The 26-year-old used this clip to pull his teammate’s leg, quipping, “Josh Hart you remember this”.
With this teasing remark, Robinson wanted to downplay Hart’s performances in the tournament. After all, the latter came into the spotlight for his heroics throughout this competition. His efforts landed him the MVP award while attracting interest from around the league.
This particular game was no exception. Hart stepped up for the Lakers, recording 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. By the end, his performance became the game-changer as the LA side won 109-92 in Las Vegas.
Consequently, Hart reminded Robinson of precisely this in response to his recent mockery. The 29-year-old shared this story from his Instagram handle to counter his Knicks teammate, writing, “Lmao I was still cooking”.
Refusing to put a foot down, Robinson kept this exchange going. He devalued his then teammates’ defending skills to ridicule Hart, mentioning, “Yeah you was but when a real defender on you [zipped mouth emoji]”.
Mitchell Robinson reminds Josh Hart of his MVP performance against the Knicks six years ago😹 pic.twitter.com/m5wsNjN7DW
— Ballerz Worldwide (@ballaznba) July 15, 2024
Despite the teasing, neither meant any harm. After all, Robinson respects Hart’s gameplay while the latter has always appreciated the former’s efforts. So, this playful back-and-forth showcased the closeness between the Knicks stars while giving the fans a peek into their friendly banter.
How influential was Josh Hart during the 2018 Summer League?
After coming into the league in 2017, Hart failed to make an instant impact. During his rookie campaign, the then-Lakers youngster struggled to break into the first team. Featuring 23.2 minutes on average, he registered 7.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. As a result, the 2018 Summer League campaign became a pivotal one in his career.
Hart knew he had to make the most out of his chances in this competition, and he did so remarkably. During his six appearances, he averaged 24.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. On top of this, the NBA forward shot 47.1% from the field while setting a franchise record for most individual points in a single game (37) in this tournament.
These endeavors earned him the MVP accolade while changing his career’s trajectory. Following this, his playing time increased significantly, making him a valuable asset for his teams. This dynamic has continued to this day, highlighting the campaign’s lasting impact on his journey.
