Where Does Knicks' Randle Rank Among NBA Bigs?
New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle was featured on Bleacher Report's list of the Top 30 'Bigs' in the NBA heading into the 2023-24 season.
On that list, Randle, listed at 6-8, 250 lbs. ranked at 15th among the NBA's bigs, ahead of some names like San Antonio Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert of Minnesota.
"One of just three players to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists (along with MVP Joel Embiid and third-place finisher Giannis Antetokounmpo), Randle impacts the game in a number of areas but falls in love with the three-ball (career-high 8.3 attempts per game) too often," Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz writes. "Randle made his second All-Star and All-NBA team in the last three seasons, rebounding from a down year in 2021-22 to help lead the Knicks back to the playoffs."
The 28-year old power forward is coming off of his best career scoring season, averaging 25.1 points with 10 rebounds per game and 4.1 assists. During the 2020-21 season, he also won the NBA's Most Improved Player award in his second year with New York after coming over from New Orleans.
In his four seasons with the Knicks, Randle has partaken in two playoff runs: a fourth-place finish in 2021 was their first postseason appearance since a group led by Carmelo Anthony earned the second seed in 2013. That team was the most recent Manhattan group to win a playoff series until last year's topped the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in the Eastern Conference's opening round.
Recent MVPs topped the list as newly-minted champion Nikola Jokic (Denver) beat out Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee) and Joel Embiid (Philadelphia). Anthony Davis (LA Lakers) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota) rounded out the top five.
Randle and the Knicks will be back in action when the NBA preseason begins this fall, starting off with a matchup against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 9.
