Did Julius Randle turn into a new player for the New York Knicks over the offseason?
In-between fans debating on Twitter whether the Nets can surpass the Knicks in local television ratings, Julius Randle has propelled New York to a 2-2 start to the season, which is the same record as Brooklyn, but who is keeping count?
Randle has made all of Knicks Twitter post in apology over the past 48 hours. After spending the past calendar year advocating for the team to trade him (anywhere), fans can only drop their mouths in amazement as the 26-year-old fills up the stat sheet with All-Star numbers that also help the team win.
On Tuesday, the Kentucky alum became the only Knicks player besides Patrick Ewing to record a triple double with at least 28 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
Julius Randle just joined Patrick Ewing in the Knicks record books pic.twitter.com/77Etoj0V74
— JB (@JeffreyBellone) December 30, 2020
On the young season, he is averaging 24.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. Yes, you read that assist number correct. Randle has become a playmaker under Tom Thibodeau, setting up teammates in transition and out of double teams, an area of frustration last year, when it seemed like no matter how many opponents surrounded him in the post, he would refuse to pass the basketball.
Only three players are averaging at least 20 points and 7 assists while shooting better than 55% from the field in this early season: James Harden, Nikola Jokic, and Julius Randle.
So what has caused this sudden improvement?
"“[The coaching staff and front office] challenged me going into the offseason to come back a better player,’’ Randle told reporters after the game on Tuesday. “I’m going to put that pressure on myself as well to challenge myself and get better every year. Last year was a great learning experience for me. But this year I’m coming back a better player and came back in great shape. And that’s just part of the culture we’re building. We’re competing and not backing down from anybody.’’"
A combination of better decision-making and conditioning has turned Randle into an All-Star level player over the season’s first four games.
"“I ran pretty much every day,’’ Randle said. “That was just a challenge for me to get in extreme condition. I dropped a little bit of weight, but the biggest thing was just pushing myself just to run every day and just challenging myself in that way.”"
The Knicks were criticized over the offseason for adding so many Kentucky players to their roster with obvious connections to the program in assistant coach Kenny Payne and front office executives Leon Rose and William Wesley. However, it is the Wildcat who was already in New York who has proven the most important piece in the very early season.