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Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle Looks Like A Future Star

By Clevis Murray

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Los Angeles Lakers rookie Julius Randle looks like a future star, even though he’s only played a handful of games in the NBA

Julius Randle‘s second career NBA game took place on the same night, at the same arena in which his rookie season ended just a year ago. As he drove to the hoop on October 28, 2014 from the right side against Houston Rockets big-man Donatas Montiejunas, Randle got his shot up and fell to the ground immediately. What was initially thought of as sprained ankle would later turn out to be a fractured right tibia, as Randle was on the ground for awhile and had to leave to leave the arena on stretcher.

The injury would subsequently end his rookie season in his NBA debut.

As he rehabbed, recovered, and learned the game from the sidelines, Randle was able to improve his skill-set in every facet of the game from conditioning, speed, toughness, playmaking and shooting. Exactly one year to the date in which his rookie year ended, Randle made his NBA return. Only difference is this time around he was a starter going against NBA legend Kevin Garnett and 2015 No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns.

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In just his second career game, Randle was a man amongst boys. He had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and showed glimpses of pure stardom. He was their point-forward as he would bring the ball up the court with his Usain Bolt speed, maneuver through the defense like a snake in grass and finish with either emphasis, a lay-up or an assist like a true a ball-handler. He’s only 20 years of age and has the court acumen to do such things.

Along with his scoring, rebounding and playmaking abilities, in that lone game, he showed that he won’t back down to anyone. During the third quarter of the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Randle was sizing up Garnett from the three-point line…take that in real quick. Randle drove to the hoop and missed, and within a few seconds Garnett did his thing by getting in Randle’s face, but there was a plot twist: Randle didn’t back down. He stepped up to KG with a facial expression that can best be described as him saying, “I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m not scared of you.”

"“I’m not scared of anybody, Randle told the Los Angeles Daily News. “The main thing is we know that’s his thing. That’s what he does, try to get in people’s heads. I’ve been watching him my whole life so I knew what to expect.”"

During the game Randle would draw an and-1 on Garnett which led to him briefly staring down the future Hall of Famer. Not only did Randle gain respect with his confrontation and response from “The Big Ticket,” but he also had his moments against Towns. During the third-quarter when Randle was in beast mode to the hoop, Towns simply two-stepped to the left giving up an easy bucket. Randle also had a possession in which he went into Towns’ body to draw an and-1, and during the fourth Randle gave K.A.T. a spin move which led to him falling.

Second game into his career and the Los Angeles Lakers future cornerstone made a statement. But he wasn’t done just yet. In just his fourth game which came against another legend in Dirk Nowitzki, Randle had a game that the Lakers hadn’t seen in awhile.

As the Lakers struggled from the start of the game, Randle took it into his own hands to score the team’s first points of the game. He did so by bringing the ball up the court, and charging into the paint with his head down like a running back and giving Nowitzki a taste of his left arm as he sent him flying a few feet for a two-hand slam. The young man was amazing that game, as he had one possession in which he drove right but finished with his left hand courtesy of his wingspan and acrobatics.

He finished his most dominating game as a pro with 22 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.

Analyzing his game thus far, in what many will call an extension of his rookie season, Randle is going to pretty damn unstoppable in a few seasons. He knows how to create space, finds his way into the paint, can bring the ball up the court in transition to score or dish, won’t back down to anyone, has a post-game in process.

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Think about it real quick: how many young players are looking for contact and are willing to distribute? Not many and that’s why Randle has uber-fluorescent future in the league. If he continues to improve, his value will sky-rocket due to his ubiquity, which is highly-valued in society and the NBA these days.

It looks the Los Angeles Lakers have another future star upon their hands.

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