Like so many others, Julius Randle underestimated Nikola Jokic.
Then, like so many others, he was cooked by “The Joker.”
“I remember my second year we had played against him and he was killing,” Randle stated on the ‘Podcast P’ with host and fellow NBA All-Star Paul George. “I’m like, ‘Man, why is this dude killing, bro? He’s sluggish and fats.’ Like, ‘He ain’t good like that.’
“This is in my head. He hit like 25 [points]. I’m like, ‘Man, how the hell this happened, bro?’”
Randle and Jokic had been each within the 2014 draft class, however just one was thought-about a worthwhile prospect. The different — Jokic — was chosen forty first general as a Taco Bell industrial was proven on the ESPN draft broadcast.
“Nobody knew who Joker was,” stated Randle, who was taken seventh general by the Lakers. “That wasn’t even a thought.
“There’s always that stigma around [European players].”
Fast ahead 9 years and Jokic is the reigning NBA Finals MVP for the Nuggets, having set the usual for the new-age NBA heart.
“It’ll be Jokic,” Randle, the Knicks energy ahead, stated. “They’re not many players like Jokic. But that’s what it’s going to turn into. Every position has become more skilled, able to do more things.”
Jokic is on the forefront of a world takeover within the NBA. Arguably the league’s 4 greatest gamers — Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic — are from outdoors the U.S.
The anticipated No. 1 choose in Thursday’s draft is a Frenchman, Victor Wembanyama, who’s being hailed as a generational expertise.
The circumstances prompted George — an Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. — to concede the European youth system is healthier at grooming professionals.
“I think we got an advantage in terms of us getting to play against top tier talent from an athletic standpoint. I think our talent is better than their talent over there,” George stated. “But they’re introduced to the game and like you said, playing against the older group, like they’re playing the older group as well at a young age. So that definitely got something to do with their development.”
Randle, who went from taking 36 3-point makes an attempt in his second season to 636 throughout this final marketing campaign, stated the NBA model already appears to be like extra European.
“We done took their game and brought it over here,” Randle stated. “Spread the court, high pick-and-roll. The spacing, the movement, the concepts, all of that.”
Denver’s title offered not solely validation for Jokic, however motivation for Randle. It was the end result of continuity for the Nuggets, who’ve had the identical coach and core duo for a number of years and thru earlier playoff failures.
The Knicks are coming off their first playoff collection in a decade.
“From a team standpoint, I would have to say it just shows you how balanced the league is to where we realize, just keep getting better — we’re not that far off,” Randle stated. ”And that’s motivating for me in a way. … I take a look at Denver and I’m like ‘Alright what are they doing as a workforce to assist them have such nice chemistry on the courtroom to win? I take a look at it from that standpoint.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com