New York Knicks forward Julius Randle appeared as a guest on ESPN’s NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday. After missing the final three months of the season, and all of the playoffs, with a dislocated shoulder, Randle provided a positive update on his rehab.
“Healing up great,” said Randle when asked about his shoulder. “Been taking my time. Not in a rush. But I like where I’m at for sure.”
Randle attempted to rehab injured shoulder during the season in order to return to action
After initially dislocating his shoulder on January 27th in the final minutes against the Miami Heat, it was originally believed that Randle would be out for “weeks, not months.” Randle would then spend the next several weeks rehabbing his shoulder in an attempt to return to the floor again last season.
However, on April 4th, after over two months of rehab, it was announced that Randle would require surgery on his shoulder, ending his season. The three-time All-Star finished last season with averages of 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 46 games.
Randle noted that despite not being able to return to the court without needing surgery, the rehab that he did leading up to the procedure made the recovery process much easier:
“I spent two and a half months rehabbing before, so when I came out of shoulder surgery I was recovering pretty fast,” said Randle. “All my muscles around my shoulder are strong.”
Knicks were an unstoppable force prior to Randle’s injury
Prior to his season-ending injury, the Knicks were rolling. They had recently acquired OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, and the results immediately paid off, forming a powerful big three of Randle, Anunoby, and Jalen Brunson.
The trio appeared in 12 games together last season, in those 12 games, the Knicks were virtually unstoppable, going 11-1 and winning by an average margin of 19.1 PPG. This stretch included blowout wins over the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Timberwolves, solidifying the Knicks as a true NBA title contender. Unfortunately, the Knicks, nor their fans, will ever find out what last season’s team could’ve truly accomplished.
All-Star forward excited about future of the team
Randle is eligible for a four-year, $181 million contract extension with the Knicks later this summer. While it remains unclear whether or not that extension will be agreed upon, Randle still expressed his excitement with what the Knicks are capable of for next season and beyond.
“I’m excited man,” said Randle. “I was here when we were winning 15 games scratching and clawing from the bottom, to see where we’re at now, to understand the potential of the team and the opportunity it motivates me to get to work.”
Randle will continue his rehab and look to get back to full strength as the Knicks enter next season as potential title contenders for the second season in a row. With Randle in the lineup, the Knicks are a better team, and his health will be key if the team wishes to repeat the success they saw this past season.