Welcome to this League Uncut rule of twenty four hour NBA News.
This's you, Chris Haynes.
It's so time, work's time, it's some time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire. This should be a good one.
Hey everyone, We've got a special edition of This League Uncut for you today. Chris Haynes and me Mark Stein joined by Nick's forward Julius Randall. We talk about Randall's bid for a third All Star appearance as a Nick, the impact of the Ognna Nobe trade in New York. We also, of course talk about left handedness, one of my favorite subjects. We caught up with Julius last Friday on the day after the Knicks loss in Dallas, his hometown,
but he and rebounded sufficiently by that point. We might have even gotten a Tom Thibodeaux impression out of mister Randall. Great visit with him here, Let's get right to it.
Yes, indeed, another special edition of This League Uncut featuring Mark Stein and myself, Chris Haynes. Very special guests, very special guests, and first time he's coming on on this podcast, and I want to welcome him in New York. Knicks star Ford Julius Randall and he's in line to make another All Star appearance this year. This All Star Game will be in Indianapolis this year, and the Knicks having
a tremendous season. They made a big mid season trade and look like they're about to pick up a little bit more steam. But Julius, man, thank you man for coming on, brother, And I know you took a it was a tough loss last night. So how y'all holding up?
Man?
It's good, It's good, Chris. You know how to season go. Man, it's eighty two games. It's ups and downs. You know, you win games you shouldn't, lose some you shouldn't, but you know, just gotta stay even.
But yes, sir as, I'm always I want to get into some hoops chat. Definitely, there was something I always wanted to ask you. I never got to ask you this. When people ask me who's one of the most underappreciated players in the game, you first one comes to mind. The reason I say this is because I feel like your game. Your game gets criticized so much because you have a skill set that if you put your skill set on somebody else that's six ' nine, but they
might be two hundred pounds. Nobody will say anything but the fact that you you can play inside outside, and you know you're physically you know, physical wise, you're probably more physical imposing than most players we have in this league. I think that people think that you should just play that way all the time when you have an overall skill set. So when people are trying to critique your game, like, is that something you like? Do you feel like you're
unfairly criticized? But just how you know, how you do play the game. I mean, I mean, criticism is just a part of you know what I mean. I think for me, I'm just under a different microscope being here playing for the Knicks. You know, being in New York, the microscope is just way different, you know what I mean. I've been with the Lakers, but that was like start of a rebuilding in New Orleans. But you know, the light here is just different, you know what I mean.
So I was just funny. I was talking to one of my teammates about this. He was like, Bro, you can have a great game, you can have a bad game.
He's like, you still don't get critiquedos that you could go for fifty to ten straight games and it won't even matter, you know what I mean. So, like it's fine, Like I think for me, I don't focus on the man, to be honest with you, Chris, Like I always focus on the process, right, So it's like for me, the development is what I look at. You know, when I first got into the league, I couldn't shoot the basketball, you know what I mean. It was all bullyball, you know,
everything in the paint. And as the years of going on, I've developed that, you know, So that was the critique. It's funny that was the critique when I first got into the league, as I couldn't shoot. Yeah, you know what I mean. It's now you shoot too many threes or whatever it is, you know what I mean. I think, but at this point now in my career, I'm just starting to find the balance of both.
Yeah, And I just think that's just that's why I say I always put you at the top when they talk about underappreciated because you have a well rounded game, Like who doesn't want to be somebody who could bring the ball up, initiate the offense, can shoot, can't go down the post, can do it all. But it's like if you look a certain way. They expect you to just play like that, You know what I mean? I play play the way you look. I guess that's what it is.
It's like they criticized for making the right place.
Yeah, for sure, I'm glad you brought that up, because I'm actually curious about this. I've lived myself in Dallas for twenty five ish years, and this is obviously where you're from and where you grew up and started developing your game. Because I remember when Jalen Brunson first went from the Mavericks to the Knicks, A lot of people wondered is he ready for the difference in spotlight because Dallas is supposedly a big place. But I gotta say,
I came here from LA and I don't know. I just feel like it's it's known as a big place, but it's a small place. It seems like in Dallas when I go out, I run into people I know all the time that never happened in La. You grew up in Dallas, you played at a major college program in Kentucky. But like playing for the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, how much brighter is the spotlight there really than other places on the map?
It's a lot brighter just based off of the simple fact that, like our fans living out every game, you know what I mean, Like every game is like a super Bowl to them.
Like when I when.
I got to Kentucky, one of the things Coach Kyle says, every game you play here, you know, it's gonna be like the super Bowl for you. It's gonna be like the super Bowl for the other team, you know what I mean, Just the competition level on what it brings out of you. So it's like that too, you know. Especially I remember being an opposing player going into the garden and every time you step in the garden, you want to have a big night.
You're on the opposing team, you know what I mean.
So it's like you got that aspect of it, but then you got the aspect of like the fans here, it just so passionate in their care and you know, so.
They want to win every game.
They hungry, you know, they just got the hunger here and why So it's I mean, that's that's just really what come with it. But I think the longer that you win it, the more you appreciate it.
Can anything prepare you for that? Or do you basically have to become a Nick and learn how to play in that environment.
I mean, I don't know, I can't speak for anybody else, but for me, I had to learn it myself, you know.
And I think.
Based off of like who your person like, what your personality is, I feel like it can bring the best out of you. I think for me, like you know, Chris, you was talking about the criticism, I think that just brings the best out of me.
You know.
I've been in the garden and got booged, you know. And I've been in the garden and got MVP checks, you know. But for me, it's not about either one of those like it.
For me, that just reminds me to focus on the process, focus on the.
Daily grind, what I'm putting into it every day even more, and you know, letting the results speak for themselves.
And your game is taken off since becoming a New York Knicks in that spotlight, becoming an all star there, and you know, I know you want to add to that vote.
What does it mean for you Julius too?
Again, I would probably say most people probably don't flourish once they get into the bright lights. Your game took off you found yourself. You found yourself there. What would it mean to you to get another All Star spot on your belt as a member of the New York Knicks.
It's great, you know.
For me, this is all when it comes to that, that's all about career and that's that's a legacy.
But more importantly, just.
You know, when I had the opportunity five summers ago to come to New York, this is everything that I said I wanted to do, you know, from an individual standpoint, you know, I wanted to you know, establish myself as.
You know, one of the great Knicks. You know.
I wanted to be a part of that tradition and that legacy and that culture. So I feel like that just you know, for establishes that, which is great. But ultimately that's not what it's about for me, you know. I mean it's for me that's you know a part of it and all that comes because of success and like winning and stuff like that. But it's cool, man. I enjoyed. I enjoyed. My son he probably enjoyed more than me, though.
You can make it.
I'm looking at you guys, as you know, you guys's record twenty two and sixteen.
I mean you're a win.
I mean, yeah, you're a win away from you know, being as high as the fourth seed in the East. You Jalen Brunson, are definitely taking this team to another level. And then you just picked up og and know me from Toronto and it seemed like you guys have probably have another higher trajectory. But is there a reason I think there's a bona fide case why the Knicks should have too all stars?
Is there a reason why that shouldn't be the case.
Yeah, I mean feel like that should have been the case last year.
Uh, to be honest, like JB was hooping last year, and you know he had every right and reason to make the game, you know what I mean. So it definitely like I feel like it definitely should and could be the case, you know what I mean. But for us, we just go out every night, I think even more this year than last year, even way more this year
than last year. Like me and JB, like we bring the best out of each other, you know, every night, you know, I know that I got somebody that you know, wants to go out there and just destroy composition, Just go out there and just dominate every night and try to help us get wins. You know, that's the most important thing, you know for us both getting the leaders of the team, you know what I mean. So when you got somebody like that who energy wise brings the
best out of you, know, you can't be slacking. Can't can't be slacking on your shit. You gotta be working, putting the time in. We both like in a sense of like pair know it. Like we don't you know, like to take time off. We can't like mentally, we can't take time on. So you know, you got somebody like that in your corner, it's gonna push you to break the best out of you. And I think that's why we have great team success but also individual success.
Don't forget though, mister Haynes, Now this probably got to be honest. This is this is this is nothing. This is nothing you can put on the mantle. This is nothing that's probably gonna impress Julius's son. But both he and Jalen Brunson, of course, the members of my annual all Lefty team that I put out of every in every August. There's only six only six players in the league make it, and they're both they were both on it last season. I would venture to say they will
both be on it this August. And I'm actually glad that you set this up because this is my chance to actually apologize to mister Randall for one of my worst basketball fails. I used to live very close to Prestonwood Christian Academy, where he played, and because I get so wrapped up in my day job, I didn't get out there to see him. I know, I'm guessing. I'm guessing that's where my kids. My oldest went is through there, he got done there, and my youngest is still there.
That was a miss on my part that I didn't get to see you, and I felt doubly bad about it when I heard last night Brad Townshend from the Dallas Morning News, I heard you picked him out and said, this guy interviewed me when I was ten playing for the Texas Titans. And you should have seen it, Chris last night. I mean, he had a deep squad with him that almost took up the whole hallway after the game, and there were a lot of Julius Randall fans in the hallway after the game. What is that like to
play in your hometown? And I know MAVs fans don't like seeing you because they usually put up big numbers when you come home. But what is like to play in front of your whole family and come home like that and kind of you're expected to deliver something big.
I mean, it's just one of those things that never gets old. It's like, like I said, it's another one of those things just kind of brings the best out of me. It's a level of comfort. You know, that's the same court that I grew up, you know, talking about the Texas type.
And I used to grow up going to games.
I was a Laker fan going up, and I would go to all the Laker games when they playing in Dallas, And that's the court that I grew up watching Kobe on. And I will watch them come in there and just
put on a show every single time. And you know, going to games watching dirt, you know, like it's almost like I grew up in that gym in a sense, you know what I mean, I grew up I understand the drive, like everything, all the little details of drive to the arena of the entrance, like where the players going, all that different type of stuff. So it's like when I come there, it's like a level of comfort and familiarness, like just it's it's different, you know what I mean.
So like I'm extremely comfortable when I go out there, and then just to see my family, uh there, to have my son course on talking trash, It's just like full circle for me. So I love it. It'll never get old.
Stein I thought you were gonna. Stein is a left hander.
So anytime we get a left handed player on, he explain, explain your annual Explain your annual left handed.
Yeah.
So I love to champion the lefties because there every year, there's about fifty in the NBA, between forty five and fifty. A couple of years ago there were as many as fifty four. I think I count it is over fifty this season. So it's really exclusive. I only pick six. I do it like the All Star Game. Two in the backcourt, three in the front court, and then I pick a six man. And the sixth man has to be someone who has he's a real six man. More
more games coming up off the bench. Then starts, and so I mean I mean again, I don't think that, Uh, I don't. I don't think that. Julius Randall and I know Jalen Brunson is not staying up at night wondering if they're going to get to get on this list. But you know, I like to I liked in it. Every August is International left Handers Day, so on International left Handers Day, I like to shout out the top
six lefties. But this year is different because this year you actually have five lefties who are all playing at an all star level, which that is unusual. I mean, usually we're lucky to get I was about to ask that.
Who you got bonus?
The two guys from the Knicks, Zion James harden All and Defense all play. So that's my problem if I keep doing the team the same way, if I only have five guys.
Hold on you as you asked the wrong questions. Ask him, were you on the list last year?
He was?
He's I think he's.
Been on.
You've been on for at least the last two years, and I have to go back and look probably more than that.
Just making sure no I talked.
I talked about when you brought up growing up around the game, and you know you mentioned Kobe Bryant and I don't have a Kobe question, but you know every I was not every most players when they're coming up in the NBA. It's there, there's that vet that kind of teaches you about you know, what it's like to be an NBA pro, what it's like to be professional. Uh, letting you know what happens outside this court. You know what what's the wrong. You know stuff you could get into.
Uh who was that for you? Who was that guy that.
You were saying? Man, he he put me on the right path.
Since you offered it. Give me both, Give me both. Man, It's all a learned experience.
Man.
I had some great bets. I had some great bets. I remember one of the first, one of the first vets that took me under his wing when I first got in was Ronnie Price and he was like he told me, he was like, man, it was my first media that he was like, enjoy this ship, bro, because you're gonna look up and you're gonna be in year ten and it's gonna go by fast. And like I always remember that every year passed by and I'll be like, man, this ship is going fast.
It's going fast, and.
I look up, now I'm in year ten, you know what I mean? So like I had him, I had Wes Johnson obviously I had cold.
Who else I had growing up?
I have.
FAF I had the bad ones. Gonna talk about the well lou Will he was a good one. Lou Will was one of my that he was a great.
One, great, great, great one on the court off the court, all right.
And then uh, you know, I had dudes like Nick Young, dudes like Jordan Hill with them dudes man like I love him to death and crazy to hell, crazy hell, but like you know what I mean, them the type of dudes you need because they like.
They keep everything like they keep the energy great. Uh in the locker room.
They make you like they can see that you down, like you're in a bad stretch, and they get you out of it.
That make you not take this so serious all the time.
So I've had I've been blessed with great vets, you know, even still to this day, like Todd Gibson, like I've been with to since I got to the next Nixson.
Technically like I'm a fat now, but he o g you know what I mean, You know what I mean. So it's like I still seek advice from him, you know what I mean. So it's it's I've been blessed with great vest teams.
So the trade has obviously been great for you guys. Last night was the first loss. You won your first five games after acquiring og Ananobi. But you guys have lost a couple offensive initiators. The ball is in your hands more.
Now.
How has the trade kind of forced you to adjust some things in your game?
I mean it's really just opened things up, to be honest, you know, it just made me a little bit more aggressive, you know, as a score boss or playmaker as well. You know, because the floor is so spread out and open, you got guys like Hey, you got guys now like og.
And then Isaiah at the sard starting center, like he spreads the.
Floor because he's just such a high IQ player and understands how to space, how to understand, how to cut. You got guys like dudes QG coming off the bench, so you know, we got real knockdown shooters. And for a guy like me that, like you said, Chris, I do a little bit of everything, but you know, but to my core, you know, I'm aggressive.
I attack the basket. You know, I'm a downhill type player.
Uh So for me, you know, to have that space and then those players around you know and make the game easier for me for sure.
Jus, can you give me your best Tom Thibodeau impression when he's going off? When you guys in practice, I heard you say you cust you guys out not too long ago.
He'd be like, Man, what the fucker we doing? What the fuck are we doing? That's it? And I'm like, man, he all want to.
Man, I was so lucky last night I had. I had such a great seat to hear and when the crack gets quiet, he is. He is one of a kind.
Yeah, I love to. I love too because yeah, he ready to go. He's turned up at all times.
Well, Julius, I'm going to let you go. Stan Do you have one more before I let him go?
Stun Well, I just wanted to ask one last thing you kind of mentioned at the beginning. You talked about ups and downs or whatever, But a thing that people have been saying is that you seem to be as comfortable as you ever have in New York. How would you describe it in your words? Year five as a nick.
Yeah, accurate, very accurate. Like I said, you guys asked me earlier, can you be prepared for that? Or you got to go through it, and I feel like for me, like I said, I had to go through it. You know, every year, I just get more comfortable, more comfortable. It's almost like his cities kind of made me like bulletproof in a sense to where it's like, I don't, you know, feel any type of criticism or whatever. You know, I've just locked in, you know. So I would definitely say
I'm more comfortable and I ever have. Man, I even felt that, like I think this summer, you know, I lived in the city for the first time, and I'm just like, man, this I feel like home, you know what I mean.
So I definitely think I'm more comfortable than I ever had. That for sure.
That's what's up. Well, Juliet, I appreciate you brought much success moving forward. Man, I hope to see you and you and Jalen out there in Indianapolis.
Well, I see you at that three point contest again.
Nah, I'm gonna letter run.
You want that bad as soon as you want that bad. You didn't come in last. You didn't come in last.
That was the goal. That was the goal. I wouldn't you supposed to be that?
Yeah? Yeah, that was the last of entry, right, what what, Julie. I appreciate you, brother, my success man. Thank you for coming on. Man.
Yeah, thanks for the time. Thanks Tomil.
I appreciate y'all.
Thanks so much everyone for listening to this edition of This League. Uncut rest assured, Chris and I already preparing for our next visit with you as we continue to talk NBA trade season. We've got to get right back into that because, of course, the NBA trade deadline, dribbling ever closer, falls this season on February eighth, just a few weeks away.
Now.
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