Julius Randle’s dream was not just to do the NBA. He was becoming an NBA All-Star.
The dream came true because Randle was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a backup to end his career in his second season with the Knicks.
Randle will become the first Knicks player to participate in an All-Star game from Carmelo Anthony in 2017. This year’s All-Star game is scheduled for March 7 in Atlanta.
Eastern reserves among the players on the front field included Jayson Tatum and Nikola Vucevic. Randle defeated Domantas Sabonis of Indiana, Bam Adebayo of Miami and Tobias Harris of Philly.
Kristaps Porzingis was named in the All-Star team in 2018, but never reached the competition. Shortly after he was named, he broke his ACL and never played another game for the Knicks.
“It would mean a lot,” Randle said Tuesday after Knicks’ morning release a few hours before the revelation. “My goal was never just to play in the NBA. I always felt like I’d get there. I just wanted to be the best player I could make and reach my potential. And I try to push myself to do that every day. It would definitely be a milestone. “
The league’s coaches voted for Randle, and the Knicks striker had the impression that he had earned the respect of all the double teams he faced this season on the road to career numbers.
Randle has played in all 31 games this season, recording career highs in points (23.2), rebounds (11.0), assists (5.5) and minutes (36.8). It entered the season after a tired first year as a commercial bait, but now it’s nothing more than. The station has learned that Randle is considered a part of the future and Knicks has no desire to move him, with his team’s $ 20 million option. Randle is a client of Creative Artists – run by Knicks President Leon Rose.
“I think I get this validation [opposing coaches] play me every night, ”Randle said. “With double teams. How he tries to plan the game. All these kinds of things. Obviously, the All-Star’s head would be amazing. Every player strives to do that. ”
Randle said that if he had succeeded, he would have decided on “his impact on earnings.” With a slightly appreciated list, the Knicks entered Tuesday’s game against the Warriors 15-16. Indeed, they would be much worse off without his nocturnal dominance which included his improvement from the 3-point line, as well as in his decision-making and leadership. Randle didn’t make the playoffs in his first six seasons, but that could change.
“As you grow as a player throughout your career, you learn how to do the little things to help the team win,” Randle said. “Trainer [Tom Thibodeau] he did an excellent job of training me, putting me in those positions. And we win, having those numbers. But I think a lot of people, maybe before the year, could have counted us as a team and said we wouldn’t be as good as a team. We turn a lot of heads from one game to another, so it probably has something to do with that as well. ”