Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
What has changed for Julius Randle?
This season, he can be seen constantly having fun. He is dominating opponents, playing unselfishly, and even playing in a bit of a reduced role by allowing Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett to share the spotlight. His defense isn’t always perfect with the occasional lapse of judgment or communication, but he’s showing much more effort and seeing positive results way more often. Randle actually hustles; he crashes the boards on both ends, goes after loose balls, and runs the floor no matter what team is leading the fast break.
And then there is his offensive production. Randle hasn’t just improved mentally by leading by example with hustle and unselfishness, he has improved mentally by being a smarter playmaker and shot taker. He has cut out taking long two-point jump shots (a staple of his All-NBA season) in favor of more shots at or near the rim and more three-pointers. His shot diet is much more efficient and therefore effective.
Randle now rarely holds onto the ball for too long. He is decisive in his moves, knowing what spot he wants to get to and what the right shot to take is. He doesn’t hesitate to shoot open three’s and he also doesn’t take a three at unnecessary moments like last year. Randle also turns over the ball less, in part due to better control and decision-making, but also because he is willing to let Brunson and Barrett take the ball up the floor and initiate offensive sets.
Finally, Randle is rarely displaying discontent toward his teammates, coaches, and the officials. There is very little sulking or pouting, he is way less reactionary and furious. He even meditates before each game. HE ACTUALLY MEDITATES! Randle has come to understand that he is someone who needs to control his emotions, and by leading each game with the right mindset he will play well and therefore continue to be in a good mood by reveling in his individual and team success.
In hindsight, maybe those of us who cast Randle aside were wrong to doubt that he can win us over again as he did two years ago. Granted, he had what felt like an infinitely long list of transgressions to make up for this time around, but he ultimately has done so.
In that article at the end of last season, I concluded by saying that I hoped Randle could replicate that comeback and at least give this organization and fanbase a respectful commitment to good basketball and good vibes. I also stated that I was rooting for him to do so because he is still a New York Knick and so it is my responsibility as the fan to do my part in supporting him. With the announcement that Randle will be representing me and the orange and blue at the All-Star Game in Utah this year, I’m happy to say that I did, and will continue to, root for him.
Randle’s Knicks journey is likely far from over. It is unlikely that any moments of smooth sailing or flying high ahead won’t be matched by bumps in the road. All that we can do about it is take the Randle route: work hard, keep our heads held high, and fight to see another satisfying day.
Julius Randle</a> first signed with the New York Knicks, the hope was that he could blossom into a star-level player the organization could move forward with.</p>
<p>In his debut season, the 2019-20 campaign, Randle was given the keys to the offense by coach David Fizdale to ugly results. Randle consistently struggled to hang onto the basketball, particularly when executing numerous spin-moves, resulting in the nickname “Beyblade.”</p>
<p>Knowing he had disappointed the fan base and the organization, Randle worked extremely hard in the offseason to improve as a ball-handler, distributor, shooter, and shot-maker. Boy, did he deliver. It was during that 2020-21 season that Randle burst onto the scene as a first-time All-Star, an MVP candidate, and the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Altogether, he was rewarded with being named to the All-NBA Second Team.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, a bit more still had to happen before Randle’s cinderella year was truly over; the playoffs saw Randle become a shell of himself. The clock had struck midnight; he couldn’t buy a bucket as the Atlanta Hawks shut him down and won that first-round matchup to eliminate the Knicks.</p>
<h2>What went wrong for Julius Randle and the Knicks in 2021-22?</h2>
<p>As if that ending wasn’t tragic enough, then the 2021-22 season happened. Julius Randle seemingly overnight went from a fairytale hero without a happily ever after to the embodiment of a living nightmare. His stats plummeted, as did his effort, while his tendency to aggravate fans soared to an all-time high. As Randle’s reputation spiraled downward, so did the Knicks’ place in the standings.</p>
<p>Coming into this year, most people had been long over Randle and wanted him traded, gone for good. But, we all knew deep down that this front office had no interest in doing so. This meant that Randle would have to transform once again; to reclaim his status as a positive presence in the box score and in the locker room, and to reclaim the good graces of the fanbase.</p>
<p>In many ways, Randle needed <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/02/18/revisiting-julius-randle-journey-knicks-stardom/3/"https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-julius-randle-all-star-reality-check-20230203-fzckklhojzbilniqlw3gysksvy-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a reality check</a> to become an All-Star again in the eyes of the NBA and in the eyes of the New York faithful. None of this was going to be achieved easily.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/02/18/revisiting-julius-randle-journey-knicks-stardom/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Julius Randle's comeback in 2022-23 </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-139711" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/02/18/revisiting-julius-randle-journey-knicks-stardom/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1160,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2023%2F02%2F1466544733.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Julius Randle" width="1600" height="1160" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/02/1466544733.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/02/1466544733-768x557.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Julius Randle’s comeback</h3>
<p>And yet, just as he did following his dreadful first season in New York, Randle made a remarkable comeback. While some fans still would rather trade Randle than keep the now two-time All-Star, their issue is with the timeline and direction of the franchise rather than Randle himself. Even the most anxious and/or spiteful Knicks fans will admit that Randle has earned back respect for what he has done so far in 2022-23.</p>
<p>So, what has changed that allowed Randle to get back to All-Stardom? How has New York been able to play winning basketball again with Randle as a driving force? And most interestingly, how is it that Randle’s wild Knicks journey has led him back to this peak despite devastating lows?</p>
<p>Now that Randle is back to being an All-Star after a one year, we’ll call it, “hiatus,” I wanted to write an article answering these questions and comparing this 22-23 campaign to the 21-22 season. I revisited my article from nine months ago titled, “<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/02/18/revisiting-julius-randle-journey-knicks-stardom/3/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/">A non-clinical examination of Julius Randle and his 2021-22 Knicks campaign</a>” to look back on everything that went down. I recommend checking it out because the goal was to break down and list as much as possible that went wrong for Randle last season to try and determine what he needed to do to return to All-Star form.</p>
<p>In so many words, I determined that most of Randle’s statistical regression, inconsistent production and attitude, and antics were the result of him struggling to be mentally stable game to game, moment to moment. No doubt, the defining characteristics of Randle’s Knicks tenure are the euphoric, historically insane highs and the pitiful, frustratingly insane lows. If you think these last three-plus years have taken a toll on the fans, just imagine the toll it’s taken on the man at the center of it all.</p>
<p>It was clear to me after writing that piece that for Randle to bounce back he needed to find a way to lift himself back up mentally – to figure out how to be better prepared on the court, how to be a good leader and teammate, and how to hold himself accountable – because from there then he can just go out onto the court and ball. Thankfully, Randle has done all of this and more.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/02/18/revisiting-julius-randle-journey-knicks-stardom/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The new-look Julius Randle </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-139712" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/02/18/revisiting-julius-randle-journey-knicks-stardom/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2023%2F02%2F1456292467.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Julius Randle" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/02/1456292467.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/02/1456292467-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>What has changed for Julius Randle?</h3>
<p>This season, he can be seen constantly<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/02/18/revisiting-julius-randle-journey-knicks-stardom/3/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/01/julius-randle-mental-approach-change-knicks-season/"> having fun</a>. He is dominating opponents, playing unselfishly, and even playing in a bit of a reduced role by allowing Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett to share the spotlight. His defense isn’t always perfect with the occasional lapse of judgment or communication, but he’s showing much more effort and seeing positive results way more often. Randle actually hustles; he crashes the boards on both ends, goes after loose balls, and runs the floor no matter what team is leading the fast break.</p>
<p>And then there is his offensive production. Randle hasn’t just improved mentally by leading by example with hustle and unselfishness, he has improved mentally by being a smarter playmaker and shot taker. He has cut out taking long two-point jump shots (a staple of his All-NBA season) in favor of more shots at or near the rim and more three-pointers. His shot diet is much more efficient and therefore effective.</p>
<p>Randle now rarely holds onto the ball for too long. He is decisive in his moves, knowing what spot he wants to get to and what the right shot to take is. He doesn’t hesitate to shoot open three’s and he also doesn’t take a three at unnecessary moments like last year. Randle also turns over the ball less, in part due to better control and decision-making, but also because he is willing to let Brunson and Barrett take the ball up the floor and initiate offensive sets.</p>
<p>Finally, Randle is rarely displaying discontent toward his teammates, coaches, and the officials. There is very little sulking or pouting, he is way less reactionary and furious. He even meditates before each game. HE ACTUALLY MEDITATES! Randle has come to understand that he is someone who needs to control his emotions, and by leading each game with the right mindset he will play well and therefore continue to be in a good mood by reveling in his individual and team success.</p>
<p>In hindsight, maybe those of us who cast Randle aside were wrong to doubt that he can win us over again as he did two years ago. Granted, he had what felt like an infinitely long list of transgressions to make up for this time around, but he ultimately has done so.</p>
<p>In that article at the end of last season, I concluded by saying that I hoped Randle could replicate that comeback and at least give this organization and fanbase a respectful commitment to good basketball and good vibes. I also stated that I was rooting for him to do so because he is still a New York Knick and so it is my responsibility as the fan to do my part in supporting him. With the announcement that Randle will be representing me and the orange and blue at the All-Star Game in Utah this year, I’m happy to say that I did, and will continue to, root for him.</p>
<p>Randle’s Knicks journey is likely far from over. It is unlikely that any moments of smooth sailing or flying high ahead won’t be matched by bumps in the road. All that we can do about it is take the Randle route: work hard, keep our heads held high, and fight to see another satisfying day.</p>
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