After a terrible 2021/22 NBA season with the New York Knicks, Julius Randle is under heavy criticism for his performances. Even the Knicks fanbase is unhappy with him and nothing points out that will change anytime soon.
In recent weeks, he showed a thumbs down to fans, explaining that it meant ‘shut the f**k up’ after they constantly criticized his game. Even though he apologized for his attitude and the words he used towards fans, Randle is yet to earn the appreciation of people in New York.
His situation is anything but good right now, and no matter where he goes, fans will be ready to call him out on the bad performances. Recently, one fan claimed that Julius got him removed from Miami Heat’s FTX Arena after a light-heckling session, earning him a warning card in case he decides to talk bad to any other player.
Via Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News:
A young Knicks fan, frustrated with his team’s performance and the struggles of the franchise star, said he was ejected Wednesday from the Miami Heat’s arena and escorted away by police because Julius Randle couldn’t handle tame heckling.
The 29-year-old real estate agent said he sat behind the team’s bench with his girlfriend and turned irritated when the game quickly got out of hand. In the second quarter, with the Knicks on their way to a blowout defeat, Rainey said he yelled at Randle from his seat, “You get a $118 million contract and the fans get a thumbs down? Are you kidding me?’”
It was a reference to Randle flashing a thumbs down to fans at MSG before explaining its meaning: “Shut the f**k up.”
According to Rainey, Randle summoned a Knicks security guard after the contract comment, and arena personnel issued a written warning. Rainey said he then kept quiet until midway through the fourth quarter, when Randle was at the end of the bench.
“He’ sitting right in front of me, I said, ‘Hey, you know you’re -34 right now, right?’” Rainey said. “Then he looked at me, was clearly trying to intimidate me, then he got security, and that was a wrap.”
“I’m hurt, man. I got home that night and I got really, really upset,” Rainey said. “I felt really, really upset. I’m questioning like, ‘Why do I do this? Why do I support a team and these players who don’t care? They kicked me out of the game. Why do I devote my time and energy and emotion into something that doesn’t about me at all?’”
Amid a complex season, Randle is trying to find his touch again. He’s struggled to be that player that led the Knicks last season to the postseason, a situation that should worry fans. His last 10 games have been awful, which perfectly sums up what his season has been like.
Julius Randle over his last 10 games:
14.8 PPG
38.4% FG
25.6% 3PT
(🎥 @KnicksUnified ) https://t.co/WG0k9lZ09K
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 29, 2022
It’s understandable that he doesn’t want to hear any bad comments about him right now, and will try to do whatever to get people removed if they’re heckling him. Seeing how things are handled in the league right now, it won’t be crazy to see this happening more often during the campaign.
Randle seems to care too much about the way he’s treated by fans than improving his game, and that’s not the recipe he needs to turn things around and prove he can be a great player again.
