Exactly one year before his long-awaited return to MSG, the high point of Julius Randle's tenure was taking shape.
Randle was aiming for his third All-Star selection with the franchise, but dropped 31 points in a January 17 win over the Rockets.
This started a nine-game winning streak, and within two weeks the Knicks finished their best month in 30 years.
At that moment in January, I felt like the possibilities were sky-high.
The Knicks were the best team in the NBA during that time, and a year later, they were at their peak, right in the middle of a trough.
“That team was great, dude. I feel like that was the best basketball I've played up to that point in my career,” Randle said in an interview with the Post, speaking for the first time about his five-season career with the Knicks. spoke. “It wasn’t just the numbers, it was the flow.
“It was like, crazy. We went into every game expecting to win. Teams would just hang around and end up winning by like 20 points. I felt like we were starting to get super dominant. We had everything, and everyone's game was going to the next level. It was unfortunate that the injury happened. .
“But that team was great,” Randle added.
That was also very short-lived.
Randle drove toward the bucket against Miami on January 27, fell on Jaime Vazquez, and ended his career with a dislocated shoulder.
The trade arrived eight months later, but Randle, who said he doesn't dwell on the past, expressed disappointment in the “what ifs.” A look at his final season in New York.
“It sucks,” Randle said. “I don't think we'll ever know what happened. I think what's more unfortunate is that it was all a build, a continuous build. I think all the teams are overachieving year after year. And that team last year was us. We were the best team in the game. So we made sure we were able to get to where we could make shots and that everyone, myself included, was able to make shots without getting hurt. I tried that, and I think that was the most disappointing thing.”
It's very easy to see why Randall wanted to see the process through.
After all, he started it.
The Texan joined the Knicks at a time when stars were on the run, when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were eagerly crossing the Manhattan Bridge.
The Knicks became a dumpster fire, a breeding ground for dysfunction, turnover, and false hope.
On June 30, 2019, the same night Randle agreed to the deal, the team released a statement essentially apologizing for not acquiring the superstar.
“We understand that some Knicks fans may be disappointed with tonight's news…” the statement began.
It was a rough reception as a consolation prize, but Randall knew what he was getting into.
He was advised to sign with another team in free agency and instead claimed not just the Knicks, but a playoff berth and a signing bonus with the All-Star team.
At the time, incentives were considered unlikely. Randall did both three times.
“I enjoyed the challenge, and I think a big reason is because my idol and my mentor is Kobe,” said Randle, who was teammates with Bryant for two seasons with the Lakers. “And I feel like that was the legacy and the footprint that he left for me to do the impossible and take on challenges that people don't want to try, that they're scared of or that they're scared of.”
Five years is an eternity in the NBA, and Randle had connections beyond the Garden walls.
His family grew and moved from Westchester to Manhattan, making Randle one of the few Knicks to live within the five boroughs.
“It was one of the best decisions I ever made,” he said.
His most rewarding contribution was helping grow the Earl Monroe New Renaissance School in the Bronx, raising more than $1.3 million for students and helping the senior class reach a 93% college acceptance rate. added Randle.
“The impact will last forever,” said Randle, whose name was placed on the school's basketball court in a ceremony held just days before he was traded. “Fifty years from now, they're not going to remember that I hit the game-winning hit. But when those kids are able to go to college, their lives change. Go on to different things. .That's probably the best part, the impact will last forever.”
Randle is right about the students, but he's probably selling the impact on the Knicks a little short.
There have been some extreme upswings, such as the game-winner against the Heat and a shocking rise to the No. 4 seed during the pandemic season, but there have also been downswings, such as the Thumbs Down incident and the 2023 playoffs.
But without a doubt, he represented the franchise's best player since Carmelo Anthony, at least until the end of Jalen Brunson.
He ranks 17th in franchise history in scoring, 18th in rebounds, and fourth in 3-point shooting, joining Carmelo as the only three-time All-Star selections on the team since Patrick Ewing.
After peaking as a second-team All-NBA selection in 2021, Randle signed a below-cap extension to give the Knicks flexibility in building their roster.
Although this discount was not as well-received as Branson, the sentiment was similar.
“From the moment I signed here, I was like, 'How can I help this team win?' They always said it's impossible to win in places like New York,” Randle said. Ta. “I wanted all my actions to be consistent with that. So it was really easy. The financial security and stability was there. So I wasn't too worried about that. I wanted to win.”
Randle was unable to get the deal done in New York.
He returned as an opponent Friday night in the Karl-Anthony Towns and Donte DiVincenzo trade, and is one of the biggest reasons the Knicks remain in their most prosperous region in more than 20 years. It became.
“I'm very proud of it,” Randle said. “When I first got here, it wasn't the best place. But having been here from the beginning, I'm so grateful for what we've been able to build and what this team has meant to the city. I was very proud of the team's success and the joy it brought me. I always cherished it.”
