Westchester Knicks: Top Moments Of The 2016-17 Season

1. Chasson Randle Gets Called Up

Before the New York Knicks kicked off their 70th season, it was expected that Chasson Randle was going to make the roster. Randle performed well during Summer League and he had experience in the Triangle dating back to his time at Stanford. Unfortunately, the 6-foot-1 guard suffered a left orbital fracture and was waived before the start of the season.

Randle was cleared for the start of the 2016-17 NBA D-League season, but was required to wear a protective face mask. In his first couple of games with Westchester, Randle exploded for the Dub Knicks. In those outings, the Stanford product posted multiple 25-plus point games on 45.4 percent from the field. As the season went on, he started distributing the ball more. Randle totaled six assists in the home opener against the Greensboro Swarm. He recorded seven assists in December against the Los Angeles D-Fenders (now South Bay Lakers). Later on in the season, he posted a career-high 10 assists against the Canton Charge.

In December, Chasson Randle recorded two strong games on the road. Coming off a 3-game losing streak, Randle had his best game of his NBA D-League career against the Texas Legends. He nearly broke Doron Lamb’s record for most points scored in a game. In the process, he shot an incredible 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from 3-point range.

That was only the beginning.

The Stanford product posted 36 points on 13-of-24 from the field and 7-of-9 from deep. Along with that, he totaled five assists, four rebounds and two steals. The Knicks totaled 132 and 120 points in those two games, which were some of their best offensive outings of the season.

Not only were both games huge for Randle, but it was significant for the team. Randle’s performance against the Legends and Spurs helped lift the team to a 2-game winning streak. After performances like that, Chasson Randle became the second Westchester Knick to be named the Performer of the Week. It was only a matter of time until he received a call-up.

On January 10, 2017, Randle inked a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. When that happened, Randle became the fourth player to earn a call-up in a Westchester uniform. While he saw limited action with the Sixers (9.2 minutes per game in eight games), he had his first double-digit scoring game in his second outing.

His time in Philadelphia was short-lived, as he was waived on February 23 after the 76ers acquired Andrew Bogut and Justin Anderson in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

Despite being waived by Philadelphia, Randle was signed by the New York Knicks four days later. The Knicks guard was ecstatic when he returned to the Big Apple.

When Chasson Randle joined the Knicks, he brought an extra boost the team needed. He started off by getting limited action, but that changed as the season went on. Randle saw more action in the fourth quarter and helped lead a comeback against the Orlando Magic. The Knicks guard showcased his playmaking ability. In the win over the Magic, Randle finished with seven points, five assists, and five rebounds in 25 minutes.

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Chasson Randle’s rookie year in the NBA had come full circle. Even though he didn’t make the opening day roster, he fought his way through the NBA D-League with the Westchester Knicks in order to make the big club’s roster. He joined a list of Langston Galloway, Jimmer Fredette and Thanasis Antetokounmpo as the Westchester Knicks players who received a call-up.