Julius Randle prefers Knicks fans over Lakers: ‘It’s an energy that’s just not matched anywhere else’

Julius Randle is heading into his tenth-NBA season this second half of the year, and you can say he’s lived a wide range of experiences during his time on the court. Back in 2014, he started his career in Los Angeles after being selected as the Lakers’ No. 7 overall pick, and eventually played a year with the Pelicans as part of the famous Anthony Davis deal.

After four years in New York, the All-Star revealed that he’s never been happier and is gradually achieving the best version of himself as seasons go by with the Knicks. He’s credited his performances to many reasons, but in general he feels it has a lot to do with the atmosphere around Madison Square Garden.

In a recent interview, he explained why he’s grown to love the city of New York and how the fan’s love has transformed him into a better player.

“I’ve been in multiple places that are the epitome of excellence…Kentucky…Lakers. Now I’m here in NYC. Playing in the City…in the Garden—it’s different man. It’s an energy that’s just not matched anywhere else. Yeah it’s dope. I love it,” he shared.

Julius Randle has taken a 'tremendous' step mentally:

“And I feel like your prime is when your mental and physical kind of meet. And physically I feel like this is going to be my best year. But mentally I feel like I’ve taken a tremendous step because I’ve had to slow all the… pic.twitter.com/HDf5FOH9dW

— The Knicks Recap (@TheKnicksRecap) August 3, 2023

Recently, rumors started suggesting that Randle might be a good fit in Milwaukee, after an NBA executive was asked hypothetically who would Julius’ on-court presence help improve his performances.

“Giannis is one who comes to mind because of the way he cuts and makes himself available and can play off other passers,” he told Sean Deveney of heavy.com about a potential partnership. “I am not saying that Milwaukee is beating down the doors to get Julius Randle, but that is the kind of star who could work well with a player with Randle’s skill.”

If the 28-year-old would ever consider a move outside the Big Apple, it seems that the Bucks could be a good fit considering his qualities.

Randle then credited teammate Jalen Brunson for his quick ankle recovery and improvement for the Knicks

Not only is the Knicks fanbase a huge inspiration for Julius, but he also gave credit to teammate Jalen Brunson for improving his game in New York, as well as helping him recover through his ankle recovery.

“One of the biggest people that honestly pushed me was Jalen, my teammate, because I saw how he worked,” he said of the former Dallas player. “I’m a worker and I saw how diligent he was, his focus level to it. So JB’s really pushed me.”

This past campaign, the veteran foward broke the franchise’s record for most points in a single game:

Randle then attributed the best-on-court version of himself to his teammates, explaining why it’s important to feel strong both mentally and physically.

“I was talking to my trainer about this today, we were talking about prime years,” he expressed. “I feel like your prime is when your mental and physical kind of meet. Physically, I feel like this is going to be my best year. But I feel like, mentally, I’ve taken a tremendous step because I’ve had to slow everything down (while rehabbing).”