“ playing big minutes, comes in the next day and works, takes care of his body, great with recovery, great with film sessions, and it’s the type of leadership that’s invaluable to a team,” Thibs said. Coach Tom Thibodeau has seen Randle’s improvements first hand. Barrett has tremendously improved, giving the Knicks an offensive one-two punch they had been lacking for years. He came to training camp in the best shape of his career, something the Knicks were incredibly enthusiastic about. He’s made it a point to take the rookies, specifically Toppin, under his wing. Perhaps the most noticeable change thus far is his willingness to trust in his teammates and become a better leader. However, if you’ve watched every game this year, you’ll notice the fire and intensity Randle has been playing with, portraying himself as a captain who wants to win, rather then someone hell bent becoming an all-star (Let’s call this, the Kanter Effect for fun). So a monster year would not only insure his salary for next season, it will also give him the ability to “secure the bag” with a contract extension. Knicks would only owe him $4M if they decided to release him. Additionally, Randle could be a free agent since the last year of his contract is not fully guaranteed. He possibly started the season with a chip on his shoulder because of this selection, knowing that his starting spot, and more importantly his Knicks tenure, could be in jeopardy. Rumor has it this was a motivating factor for Randle. After all, the former college player of the year from Dayton plays the same position as Randle. It could be as simple as the drafting of Obi Toppin. So what has lead to this statistical jump? There are some answers that the casual fan may throw out there. Randle has only ever achieved that rating once before, as a side-kick to Anthony Davis when the two played for the Pelicans. The statistical rise has culminated in Randle improving his PER by three points, currently one of seven power forwards in the league with a PER over 20 (his current ranking, at 7th, is four spots ahead of former Knick, Kristaps Porzingis for those keeping track). Most notably, he’s become a more efficient three point shooter, and is currently averaging over 80% from the free throw line for the first time in his career. In fact across the board, Randle’s stats have improved tremendously. The easy way to track Randle’s improvement is on paper, as he has doubled his assist averages from last year, averaging six a game, which currently is the highest in the league amongst front court players. So what is so different this year? Is Randle truly an all-star caliber player this season? Let’s examine the evidence. His numbers, though solid, were misleading, as he seemed to rely on himself more than his teammates. We all saw Randle last season neglect his teammates, sprint down the middle of the lane into a triple team while doing a spin move, inevitably resulting in a miss, a blocked shot, or a turnover. Last year, Knicks fans would have laughed at that statement. If you must, feel free to read that sentence again. © 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc.It is now the year 2021, and our beloved New York Knicks have finally reached a status of “watchable,” and a good amount of credit has to go to one Julius Randle, an emerging star power forward, having a breakout year. He has shot 46.1 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc.īam Adebayo, Heat center: An All-Star in 2019-20, Adebayo is turning in a career season with 21.6 points (on 54 percent shooting from the field), 10.2 rebounds, three assists and 1.1 steals per game. Julius Randle, Knicks forward: After a disappointing 2021-22 season, Randle has gotten back to form by averaging 24.8 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. But the MVP contender is averaging a career-high 33.4 points per game to go with 9.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 blocks. ![]() Joel Embiid, 76ers center: One from among Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum had to be a reserve, and Embiid got the short straw. ![]() Here’s how Randle stacks up against his Eastern Conference competition for three frontcourt reserve spots: Julius Randle is making a strong case for his second All-Star appearance in the last three seasons. Julius Randle’s resurgent Knicks season could earn him an All-Star spot
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