Julius Randle insists he won't bail on his commitment to the Knicks
Knicks forward Julius Randle passes the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 23, 2022, at MSG. Credit: AP/John Minchillo
MILWAUKEE — It was just a few months ago that Julius Randle, in the wake of a season in which he ascended to heights that his career had only hinted at, decided to sign a four-year extension with the Knicks immediately, passing up the opportunity to cash in on a contract extension worth more than $80 million more.
The leader of a team that turned around in 2020-21 largely because of his play and the arrival of Tom Thibodeau as coach, Randle was all in.
Since then, he has seen the Knicks struggle through a dismal season and get targeted for criticism. Much of it has been intended for him as the fans have directed their ire his way.
But standing in the catacombs of Fiserv Forum on Friday morning after the shootaround to prep for that night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Randle insisted he would not change a thing and has no intention of bailing on his commitment to the Knicks.
"I wouldn’t change it," he said. "I still want to be a part of it. I still want to see this thing through. I still want to be a part of trying to bring a championship to the Knicks.
"So I’m not going to be happy and be all about it when things are good and just because it’s not necessarily going the way I want it to or the team wants it, to run and hide. I’m still behind this. I’m still sticking it through."
As Randle spoke, which has occurred less this season as he has made his way through a difficult stretch, RJ Barrett leaned in on him, holding a microphone and listening in a show of support.
The Knicks (23-26) entered Friday night's game with five losses in their last six games and a tough schedule ahead, including a five-game West Coast trip.
Randle’s very public dissatisfaction with criticism from the fans prompted an angry response from him on Jan. 6 — a thumbs-down gesture to the fans during a game and an obscenity afterward when he was asked to explain what the gesture meant. That earned him a fine from the NBA.
After that, he not only retreated from the media but also seemed to do so from the team, wandering from huddles on the court. But Randle said he remains all in.
"It’s been hard, but like my man J. Cole says, there’s beauty in the struggle," Randle said. "It’s a struggle. We’re trying to figure it out. But this is really where you find out what people are about. This is when you find out about the character of the guys on your team, so I'm excited about — we still got a lot of games to play, so I’m excited to see how we push forward and push past it."
The team may figure it out, but figuring out what has gone on with Randle is equally important.
"Same thing, man," Randle said. "I’m going to stick to my guns. I’m going to stick to who I am as a person. That’s coming in, working every day, trying to be an infectious leader with my spirit and my energy and just try to be positive."
Thibodeau leaned heavily on Randle last season, when the forward served as a leader not only with his play but almost as an extension of the coach on the court. It was through his example that Thibodeau found a player who worked hard and set a tone for the rest of the team.
"Look, over the course of the season, you’re going to go through a lot of things," Thibodeau said. "There’s a lot that you have to get through. That’s why you want to stick with your routine, be mentally tough through the adversity and just keep working. The only thing you can control is what you put into each and every day. If you’re thinking about what happened yesterday or what’s coming down the road, you’re not going to be focused on today or what we have to get done.
"He’s proven to be a good player. He’ll get back to that. Our team has to get back to that. It’s not an individual sport. You have to count on everyone working together. We need to play better."
Randle believes they will.
"Definitely. We got the team," he said. "We got the talent. We got the coach, support. So we definitely can do it."
Asked if that sentiment is consistent throughout the locker room, he said, "It is. It is. We've just got to take everything day by day. Understand it’s a process and understand things don’t happen overnight. And as long as we’re creating and building the right habits every day, we’ll be fine."
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
