Julius Randle Hoping to Help Brooklyn Nets Shock NBA World

The Nets aren't expected to do much next season, but Julius Randle is ready for the challenge.

Sep 28, 2026; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward-center Julius Randle (30) talks with media at Brooklyn Nets HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brooklyn Nets are ready to get going in a new season, and their newest star knows what it will take for the team to achieve its goals.

After a long offseason that featured some significant changes in Brooklyn, the Nets are finally ready to get the 2026-27 season going. In a draft night trade that sent Nic Claxton to Chicago, the Nets brought in former All-Star Julius Randle, who is looking to prove himself again this season.

After a couple of years in Minnesota, Randle has another fresh start with a young squad, and he’ll be a veteran leader in Brooklyn. While the Nets are expected to be among the worst teams in the league, they have confidence they can shock the world, and Randle understands what that will take as he heads into his 13th NBA season.

“I think it starts tomorrow with training camp, and we just build from there,” Randle said at media day. “We stack days, continue to improve, and come in with the right focus every single day. For me, when I’ve done that in my career, the teams that I’ve been a part of that have done that in their career, the results always follow.”

While Randle should naturally be able to step into a leadership role with the Nets, his work won’t be easy. After spending so many seasons in the league, Randle has been around all sorts of squads, and this Nets team will add to his list of chapters.

One of the things that makes Brooklyn so unique going into next season is its youth, rostering six players picked in the first round since 2025. While Randle knew what he was dealing with when he got dealt to the Nets, he also shared a story that put into perspective just how young this Brooklyn team is.

“Well, they’re kids, first and foremost,” Randle said. “I learned that really, really fast. On the golf course, and third hole in, they were trying to take their shirts off, and it’s just like they didn’t understand golf etiquette. Mikel [Brown Jr.] broke a club, a driver, on one of the holes. So, I learned really fast that I’m dealing with kids.”

Smiling his way through that story, Randle seems to be ready for his next chapter and what awaits in Brooklyn over the next 82 games. While things might not always be perfect, a foundation is being built, and Randle should be a huge part of what the Nets are building this season and beyond.