Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
The New York Knicks season has wrapped up and was in several ways a major disappointment. And it probably goes without saying that the most polarizing topic this year for the team was the Julius Randle situation.
For a more condensed version of this topic, go and check out my “3 negative takeaways” article. There, I dedicated a slide to how Randle was a major catalyst for New York’s downward spiral in the standings.
It takes a lot of mental gymnastics to wrap your head around all that was Randle this season. Fittingly, much of what will be talked about here is built on the undeniable fact that Randle’s success as a player bears heavily on his mental strength.
What went wrong with Julius Randle in the 2021-22 season?
As the title of this article implies, I am not a doctor or a psychologist or anything of the sort. I am, however, one of the many Knicks fans who had a front-row seat to the 2021-22 “Beyblade Circus” (as I now call it).
The statistical and emotional developments we witnessed from Randle this year deserves its own mini-documentary, let alone its own article on this site. If you’re reading this and decide to do the former, make sure to send me the final cut. I’m sticking to using my keyboard to explore this story.
The slide I mentioned inspired me to expand in more detail on Randle’s journey this season compared to last season and how unexpectedly complex his decisions and their consequences have been.
Ultimately, the goal of this piece is to encapsulate the stats and moments that made Randle’s season so unique, odd, and downright frustrating. This is a big one. Here we go.
New York Knicks</a> season has wrapped up and was in several ways a major disappointment. And it probably goes without saying that the most polarizing topic this year for the team was the Julius Randle situation.</p>
<p>For a more condensed version of this topic, go and check out my<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/21/new-york-knicks-3-negative-takeaways-2021-22-season/2/"> “3 negative takeaways”</a> article. There, I dedicated a slide to how Randle was a major catalyst for New York’s downward spiral in the standings.</p>
<p>It takes a lot of mental gymnastics to wrap your head around all that was Randle this season. Fittingly, much of what will be talked about here is built on the undeniable fact that Randle’s success as a player bears heavily on his mental strength.</p>
<h2>What went wrong with Julius Randle in the 2021-22 season?</h2>
<p>As the title of this article implies, I am not a doctor or a psychologist or anything of the sort. I am, however, one of the many Knicks fans who had a front-row seat to the 2021-22 “Beyblade Circus” (as I now call it).</p>
<p>The statistical and emotional developments we witnessed from Randle this year deserves its own mini-documentary, let alone its own article on this site. If you’re reading this and decide to do the former, make sure to send me the final cut. I’m sticking to using my keyboard to explore this story.</p>
<p>The slide I mentioned inspired me to expand in more detail on Randle’s journey this season compared to last season and how unexpectedly complex his decisions and their consequences have been.</p>
<p>Ultimately, the goal of this piece is to encapsulate the stats and moments that made Randle’s season so unique, odd, and downright frustrating. This is a big one. Here we go.</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/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Statistical drop-off </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126968" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1065,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2022%2F04%2F1384679120.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Julius Randle" width="1600" height="1065" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1384679120.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1384679120-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Julius Randle’s statistical regression</h3>
<p>On the surface, basic stats would indicate that Randle had a solid season. He averaged 20.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. Those are all down from last year, but they aren’t a far cry from the numbers that made Randle an All-NBA performer.</p>
<p>The way in which Randle regressed in 2021-22 becomes clear when you see his shooting percentages. He <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/randlju01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">saw significant drop off’s</a> in FG% (from 45.6 to 41.1), eFG% (51.6 to 45.9), 3P% (41.1 to 30.8), and FT% (81.1 to 75.6).</p>
<p>This was all despite him taking many of the same shots and averaging nearly identical shot attempts in those areas.</p>
<p>Many doubters of Randle, both before and directly after the 2021 playoffs, thought the success he had shooting the ball wasn’t sustainable even though he did it over the course of a 71-game sample size.</p>
<blockquote><p>“[For that reason, I didn’t buy into the idea that he and other players who excelled that season only did so because of the “empty gym atmosphere” NBA games had.</p>
<p>The presence of fans definitely matters and adds pressure, but to me, that wasn’t a factor in what made Randle ball out…Randle was drilling fadeaway and pull-up jumpers from the mid-range and from three in the teeth of defenses and making the perfect reads with the ball in his hands…</p>
<p>But, now that I have seen how 2021-22 went, I am questioning nearly everything I thought I knew about that All-NBA season… The biggest determining factor in his game is, undebatably, the mental.</p>
<p>Randle seemingly melted down in the 2021 playoffs opening round against the Atlanta Hawks. To their credit, Atlanta did a good job of defending Randle and pressuring him with double teams.</p>
<p>But, that was nothing Randle couldn’t handle throughout the year. So what changed?]”</p>
<p>– Excerpt from <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/21/new-york-knicks-3-negative-takeaways-2021-22-season/">“3 negative takeaways”</a></p></blockquote>
<p>What changed, indeed? A huge explanation for why there was such a big difference between the last two campaigns for Randle could’ve been his mentality entering each regular season.</p>
<p>Randle has credited much of what made him breakout in 2020-21 to him working hard to make up for his shortcomings in his first season with the Knicks.</p>
<p>Fast forward to the start of 2021-22, and Randle could have been shaky at best with his confidence. While he had a regular season for the history books, he flamed out in the playoffs.</p>
<p>Perhaps Randle was taxed from a long year in which he was tasked with dominating every night to the tune of 37.6 minutes per game. Fatigue may have been the key. He and his wife also had their second child in October, and we all know newborn babies are not easy to deal with in any profession.</p>
<p>The dramatic shift in efficiency and counting stats for Randle could be chalked up to any and all of these reasons. And yet, there is an even deeper rabbit hole to dive down into when discussing what defined Randle’s best and worst games.</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/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The good days vs. The bad days </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126969" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"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%2F2022%2F04%2F1375137267.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Julius Randle" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1375137267.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1375137267-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>The weirdness of “Good Randle” vs. “Bad Randle”</h3>
<p>I’ll be honest, I am floored after having researched for this slide because of how close some of Randle’s split stats for the 2021-22 season were. I guess it is fitting that Randle’s season was so bizarre that even the numbers can’t give us a straight answer as to why that was the case.</p>
<p>Regardless, there are still some interesting stats that validate some of what I and other fans picked up on watching him play. These numbers hold a mirror up to circumstances that reflect “Good” and “Bad” Randle.</p>
<p>A lot of this seems to hinge on Randle’s performance at home versus on the road. Yes, the Knicks as a whole had a disgusting 17-24 home record, but there are numbers to back up Randle being a better road performer.</p>
<p>In the 26 games this season in which <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/randlju01/gamelog/2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Randle scored 24+ points per game</a>, 16 of those were away games. Also, in games in which he scored 30+, eight of those 14 matchups were on opponents’ courts.</p>
<p>When looking specifically at<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/randlju01/splits/2022" ref="nofollow"> his shooting splits in home versus away games</a>, Randle was a bit more efficient on the road. It is a slight difference, but numbers don’t lie, Randle performed worse in MSG from an efficiency standpoint.</p>
<p>Now let’s dive a little deeper. How else was Randle specifically better as a guest in another team’s arena?</p>
<p>In 28 games (for 1/3 of the season), he shot 37.5% or worse from the field. He shot in the 20s in 10 games and in the teens five times. And wouldn’t you know it, 16 of those games (57%) happened at home.</p>
<p>So, the stats above suggest that Randle may have felt the pressure playing in front of the Knicks faithful who were often justifiably upset with his play. And they let him know it.</p>
<p>Next, let’s go over when, and maybe why, Randle plays well. He was his best against the Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Denver Nuggets in 2021-22 in 11 total contests. Why is this significant?</p>
<p>Well, this seems like a mostly random group of teams. But there is one way in which these teams may intersect and it speaks to the larger theme of this article; Randle’s play weighs heavily on his mental state.</p>
<p>For one thing, all of these teams play on the West Coast, with the exception of the Nets. Did you know that Randle averaged his best stat lines against the Pacific Division? He had 24/10/4 on 47/41/90 with by far his best true shooting percentage of 57.4%.</p>
<p>Last season, Randle also played very well against the Kings, Lakers, and Nets. The Lakers were his first team, and Randle asked LA to renounce his rights so he could sign with New Orleans in 2018.</p>
<p>The Nets are the Knicks’ crosstown rival, so does Randle get hyped up to play them? Is it because he’s looking to win NYC fans’ approval? I couldn’t tell you why Randle does so well in Sacramento, Denver, and Golden State aside from them being in the West.</p>
<p>These are trends, which means they are significant to Randle in some way. For whatever reason, Randle plays his best in warm weather, in the Pacific Time Zone, and against teams he has a history with.</p>
<div class="embed embed-video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="281" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://www.youtube.com/embed/JA9_OTG3eyI?feature=oembed%22 frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>And then there is Dallas, his hometown. Against the Mavericks on their court this past year, Randle was a +18 (5th highest +/- of the year) and had 26/8/5. It might not sound like much, but it was a good game for him. And last season, he averaged 29/9/9 against Dallas.</p>
<p>Finally, Randle’s best stretch of basketball occurred from Feb. 5th to the 16th, directly after the “who reported it” Marc Berman incident. Seven games, with five of them on the road, and he faced LAL, DEN, GS, and BKN over that stretch. The perfect storm of opponents and something to get him mad enough to play well.</p>
<p>Randle has a long list of very specific moments in which he plays great compared to how he usually is. That was especially true this year, since in general he was fantastic in 2020-21.</p>
<p>Randle needs to be in the right mindset to perform, because if not, the stats aren’t the only thing that suffers as a result.</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/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Antics and oddities </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126970" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"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%2F2022%2F04%2F1238284190.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Julius Randle" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1238284190.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1238284190-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Julius Randle’s odd and infuriating moments</h3>
<p>This list is by far the most frustrating thing we witnessed from Randle this season. There are so many examples beyond the box score of how Randle failed to impress with his actions.</p>
<p>If you’re a visual person or just want to relive the misery, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://twitter.com/TheRydeShow/status/1519767128362135552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here is a thread</a> where I compiled as many of Randle’s antics from this season that I could recall.</p>
<p>Whether he was feeling the pressure to live up to 2020-21, or he was nervous following the playoff disappointment (or something else entirely), Randle allowed his poor play to effect his poise and hustle.</p>
<p>It was a miracle when he displayed any sort of attempt to play defense. And it wasn’t just on that side of the ball, Randle was often slow and just flat out lazy in transition and in any situation involving him picking up his feet.</p>
<p>He was never held accountable by Tom Thibodeau or anyone else. He somehow was then surprised when fans retaliated during games. Eventually, the booing was too much for Randle, which led to the “thumbs down/shut the f- up” incident.</p>
<p>This was the final straw for many fans who felt Randle was being, to put it mildly, disrespectful. Randle was clearly out of line for this and apologized, but it might have been too little too late.</p>
<p>That alone would’ve been enough to make people go sour on Randle, but there’s more. Randle not only mistreated fans, but teammates and staff too.</p>
<p>He slapped a laptop held by assistant coach Scott King during a timeout. He spouted angrily with Evan Fournier on national television, and pushed Fournier away during a separate incident when he was just trying to help Randle keep his cool.</p>
<p>It was routine for Randle to have no part of team huddles and to isolate himself at the end of the bench. And worse of all, Obi Toppin fell down on the baseline and Randle chose not to help him up.</p>
<p>On court tantrums include firing up Cam Johnson just before he buried the Knicks in a fourth-quarter loss, spouting with refs and Rudy Gobert despite the latter trying to be friendly, and throwing the game ball before storming off the court after the buzzer of a win against the Chicago Bulls.</p>
<p>That was one of the last times we saw Randle. He went into the locker room sulking after a win because he didn’t play well, a moment of pure selfishness.</p>
<p>This season, Randle displayed poor sportsmanship, leadership, character, and decision-making at nearly every turn. And not only did it cost the team wins and $25K, but it cost him a healthy and stable relationship with the organization and fans.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There have been 5 Julius Randle-related fines this season.</p>
<p>• $15K to Randle for kicking ball in the stands<br>• $25K to Randle for cursing in presser<br>• $25K to NYK not talking to media<br>• $50K to him for Cam Johnson incident<br>• 40K to him for Jazz one</p>
<p>That’s $155K of fines.</p>
<p>— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/1506396232876498950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>March 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126972" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2022%2F04%2F1365689676.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Julius Randle" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1365689676.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1365689676-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Conclusion</strong></h3>
<p>As we conclude this article, I’m going to finish by saying that I don’t have an answer as to how it all happened or what all of it means. I don’t think there is a simple answer that even Randle himself can provide.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>I truly think it is some mixture of both, but I’d say the evidence suggests about a 70/30 split leaning more towards the mental being what has caused Randle’s regression. It is evident that he must work on his composure and not be so negative reactionary.</p>
<p>I think I speak for a lot of Knicks fans though when I say we are far past forgiveness when it comes to his performance and attitude, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/07/new-york-knicks-fans-react-julius-randle-leaving/">and that a trade would be welcome</a>.</p>
<p>But it seems like Randle is returning for now, and I am willing to move past this year and give him another chance in the hopes of him turning it around, just like he did following the 2019-20 season.</p>
<p>If that is going to happen, a lot of work needs to be done on Randle’s part to repair his relationship with the fanbase. He needs to get back to displaying leadership, support for his teammates, and respect for the fans and uniform by always giving his best effort.</p>
<p>I don’t think Randle is a bad person, and none of this is an attempt to shame him. But everything I have highlighted is just the reality of what has gone down.</p>
<p>He has <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/30/non-clinical-examination-julius-randle-2021-22-new-york-knicks-campaign/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/03/31/julius-randle-laughs-rumors-requested-trade-new-york-knicks/">publicly stated he still wants to be here, but he never apologized or took responsibility for the entirety of his actions</a>. I wish the best for whatever future he has here and I’m rooting for him.</p>
<p>Some of you might not like that, but you can’t blame me. I’m a New York Knicks fan, so I will root for New York Knick Julius Randle.</p>
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