Julius Randle Opens Up on Toughest Phase of Career with Knicks

Randle recalled his tenure with the Knicks, not too fondly.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half in game three of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center.

Image Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Former New York Knicks star Julius Randle opened up on the struggles he faced with the franchise, and labeled it as the ‘darkest phase’ of his NBA career. The three-time All-Star who joined the franchise in 2019, went on to stay with the team for almost five years.

During his tenure with the New York City-based team, Randle emerged as a centerpiece of their resurgence and led them to the Playoffs twice, ending their 8-year dry spell since 2012-13. However, his performance over the years dipped. He ended up being the third option for the team, behind Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett.

About a year ago, the Knicks traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves as a part of a three-team deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York. Now, months after the move, Randle looked back on his memories with the team, and not in a fond way. The 30-year-old said that by the end of his stint with the two-time champions, he was in the darkest phase of career. He also said that with the Knicks he couldn’t focus on his game and wasn’t enjoying playing.

Randle said, “You know how New York is, man. You’re under a different microscope.” “So it’s like, you’re not just battling and trying to win. It seems like you’re battling a million different things.” “At the end of that time, I was kind of at my darkest moment. Just miserable, like in a way where I just was not having fun going to work every single day,” he recalled.

“I would just be in there watching TV in a dark room, I didn’t even want to show my face. I kind of just wanted to be left alone and, like, in hiding. Just very frustrated and angry and all those different emotions. It just wasn’t a good place to be in,” Randle went on to say.

Julius Randle Opens Up on Finding Happiness in Minnesota

The 6-foot-9 player, who is gearing up for his second season with the Wolves, quickly found comfort in Minnesota. In an interview with The Athletic, he said that being here “feels like home.” Talking about it, Randle feels very settled here. “I would say even this summer and leading up to the season is probably the happiest I’ve been in a really long time as far as just career, family, everything.”

It didn’t take him long to adjust to the new environment. Soon he cemented as an essential part of the team. During the 2024-25 season, he posted an average 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists for the Timberwolves across 69 appearances. The number wasn’t his best record but overtime. However, he is expected to bring out his true self and take the Wolves to newer heights.

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.

Julius Randle Opens Up on Toughest Phase of Career with Knicks

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