Julius Randle

 

Julius Deion Randle (born November 29, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) and weighing 250 pounds (113 kg), Randle plays power forward and center. 

 

He played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, where he was named Third Team All-American before being selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft. Randle is a three-time NBA All-Star (2021, 2023, 2024), a two-time All-NBA Team member (Second Team 2021, Third Team 2023), and won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2021. He holds the Knicks franchise record for most points in a game since Carmelo Anthony’s 62-point performance in 2014.

 

Early Life 

High School Career

 

Randle was born in Dallas, Texas, and attended Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas. He emerged as one of the nation’s elite prospects, ranking among the top five players in the 2013 class alongside Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Andrew Harrison, and Aaron Gordon. As a senior, Randle averaged 32.5 points and 22.5 rebounds per game. He won the Under Armour Elite 24 Dunk Contest in August 2012 and was named MVP of the Elite 24 game.

 

College Career

 

Randle committed to the University of Kentucky over Texas, Florida, and Kansas. During his freshman season (2013-14), he became a dominant force, finishing with 24 double-doubles, the second-most in school history behind Dan Issel’s 25 in 1969-70 and the most by a Kentucky freshman. In 40 games (all starts), Randle averaged 15.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 50% from the field. He led Kentucky to the national championship game, where they lost to Connecticut. Randle was a semifinalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year and was named Third Team All-American. On April 22, 2014, he declared for the NBA Draft.

 

NBA Career

 

Los Angeles Lakers (2014–2018)

 

The Lakers selected Randle seventh overall on June 26, 2014, their highest pick since selecting James Worthy first overall in 1982. However, disaster struck immediately. On October 28, 2014, after just 14 minutes of playing time, Randle broke his right tibia during the Lakers’ season opener against Houston and missed the entire 2014-15 season.

 

Randle returned in 2015-16, averaging 11.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in 81 games. On March 25, 2016, he recorded his first career triple-double with 13 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists against Denver. At 21 years old, he became the youngest Lakers player with a triple-double since Magic Johnson. Over four seasons with Los Angeles, Randle showed steady improvement but was not retained following the 2017-18 season.

 

New Orleans Pelicans (2018–2019)

 

On July 9, 2018, Randle signed a two-year deal with New Orleans. He had a career year, posting highs in points (21.4), three-pointers (0.9), steals (0.7), blocks (0.6), and free-throw percentage (73.1%) while averaging 8.7 rebounds in 73 games. His performance earned him a contract with the Knicks after one season.

 

New York Knicks (2019–2024)

 

Randle signed a three-year, $62 million contract with New York on July 9, 2019. His tenure with the Knicks defined his career. In the 2020-21 season, Randle exploded into stardom, averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists while shooting 45.6% from the field and 41.1% from three-point range. He earned his first All-Star selection, was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and won the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

 

Randle continued his excellence in subsequent seasons, earning another All-Star selection in 2023. On February 24, 2023, he tied a then-career-high 46 points against Washington, and on March 3, he hit a game-winning three-pointer after scoring 43 points against Miami. He continued his scoring barrage well into March. And, on March 20, 2023, he scored a career-high 57 points on 19-of-29 shooting in a loss to Minnesota, the most by a Knick since Carmelo Anthony’s franchise-record 62 points in 2014.  

 

In the subsequent season, he was named to the NBA All-Star team for the third time in his career. 

 

Minnesota Timberwolves (2024–Present)

 

On October 2, 2024, Randle was traded to Minnesota along with Donte DiVincenzo in a three-team deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York. On November 17, 2024, Randle hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat Phoenix 120-117. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 69 starts. In the Western Conference Semifinals, Randle recorded a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists against Golden State, becoming only the second Timberwolves player with a playoff triple-double after Kevin Garnett.

 

Personal Life

 

Randle married his longtime partner, Kendra, in 2017. He has been open about seeking mental health treatment during difficult periods in his career.

 

References

 

External Links

* Julius Randle on NBA.com

* Julius Randle on Basketball-Reference.com