Will Julius Randle Reach 3rd All-Star Game as a New York Knick?

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has resembled his All-Star form in recent weeks.

New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle's start to the 2023-24 season was anything but shining, especially from a shooting perspective. 

Over his first six games, Randle was shooting just over 27 percent from the field, last among those who averaged at least 10 points a game. By no coincidence, the Knicks stumbled to a 2-4 start in the immediate follow-up to their most successful season in a decade. It got to a point where the Knicks reportedly tried to sit Randle for his own good but the 10th-year pro, well-known for disregarding the idea of load management, nixed the idea despite coming off offseason ankle surgery in June.

The New York Knicks could very well have multiple All-Stars this season with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle both playing well as of late / © Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Since then, Randle has turned his play around and both he and the Knicks have seen improved returns. Randle's numbers are closer to his total from last year over the past 13 games (23.5 points, 10 rebounds) and he's back to shooting 47 percent from the field while the Knicks have gone 9-4. Last week was particularly inspiring, as Randle shot just under 55 percent and tallied averages of 24.7 points and 13.3 rebounds. Those efforts were rewarded with the Eastern Conference Player of the Week Award, his third in a Knick uniform.

As the most impactful player on one of the last eight teams standing from last year, Randle felt like a conventional choice to return to the NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. The slow start might've delayed the campaign, but it'll be hard for voters to keep him off the ballot now. 

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Randle will have a high-profile chance to improve his candidacy on Tuesday when the Knicks (12-7) face the Milwaukee Bucks in the knockout round of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament (7:30 pm. ET, MSG/TNT).