Kevin Garnett Defends Knicks Star Julius Randle

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has earned the praise from one of the best to ever play the game.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 17, 2024

Jan 23, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have been zeroed in on Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges as the team's top two stars for the past few weeks.

Brunson recently signed a four-year contract extension just weeks after the team traded for Bridges, but someone who shouldn't be forgotten about is power forward Julius Randle.

Randle, who turns 30 in November, is coming off a year in which he only played in 46 games due to injury. He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery back in March, but he is expected to make a full recovery in time for Knicks training camp, which is scheduled to begin either in late September or early October.

Debate over Randle's role and ability to elevate the Knicks was rampant on the Stephen A. Smith Show, but guest star and Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett was quick to defend the three-time All-Star.

"Julius Randle is a 25 and 10 guy," Garnett said. "And he grew his game with the three ball. Man, y'all are trippin on Julius Randle. Julius Randle is one of the harder guards in this mug and he's left-handed, he's got a three ball, he can playmake."

Garnett went on to say that Randle isn't perfect, but that he doesn't have to be, especially with how New York likes to run its team. The Knicks like to play a hard-nosed brand of basketball where they go hard 48 minutes each night, and another superstar added to the mix may not jell with the team in that regard.

If Randle can find a way to get back to good health, the Knicks are expected to be one of the better teams in the NBA. Even if he isn't healthy, the Knicks are in the top tier of teams. Last year, when Randle played alongside OG Anunoby and Brunson, the Knicks were 20-3.

Now with a full offseason under their belt and the addition of Bridges, the Knicks could end up having one of the better records and outlooks of any team in the league.

Make sure you bookmark All Knicks for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Jul 16, 2024|Modified Jul 17, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.