Lakers forward Julius Randle has never really gotten a chance to fully show off his stuff ever since The Curse of David Stern’s Veto claimed another victim and he broke his right leg in the Lakers’ regular season opener last year. But with the former No. 7 overall pick heading into the 2015-16 campaign with a complete bill of health, he’s getting his shot right now during the preseason and making the most of it.
Randle’s two-way energy and tenacity were on full display in Tuesday’s overtime defeat to the Utah Jazz as he finished with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. The 20-year-old’s performance turned more than a few heads, one of whom was none other than the sage Kobe Bryant, who summed up Randle’s upside with the perfect hybrid player metaphor.
Kobe called Julius Randle "Lamar Odom in Zach Randolph's body."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 7, 2015
The former Kentucky Wildcat certainly looks the part. Like Odom, Randle can handle the ball, get to the rim attacking off the dribble, keep a defense honest with a pull-up jumper from the high post, and use his active hands to disrupt passing lanes and force live-ball turnovers. And like Randolph, Randle uses his elite upper-body strength, physique, and relentlessness to bully guys on the low block and gobble up offensive boards like he’s at some sort of rebounding buffet.
While the Lakers have about as much chance of making the playoffs this season as Robert Sacre has of shutting down DeMarcus Cousins one-on-one in the paint, the development of Randle and the rest of the Laker youngbloods like D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, will be a fun storyline to watch unfold as the year progresses.
Based on the way that he looks so far this preseason, Randle certainly has reason to feel good about himself. Mamba praise is the best kind of praise, after all. And definitely a lot better than what Kobe last said about Randle.
