After a highly impressive and over-achieving season, the New York Knicks entered the 2021-22 campaign with hopes of outshining their performance from a year ago.
Instead, the franchise has entered a state of dysfunction similar to their miserable experience over the last 10 years.
At the heart of frustration for Knicks fans is Julius Randle, who has people wondering if his All-Star campaign last season was a complete fluke. With his numbers down all across the board (and a shooting percentage as low as 42%), he just isn’t the same player Knicks fans fell in love with. And now, they can’t help but demand more.
In a chat with the media, the All-Star forward responded to his critics, assuring the world that he’s not worried about what others are saying about his game.
(via Fred Katz of The Athletic)
“I really don’t give a f*ck what anybody has to say, to be honest,” he told reporters Wednesday when asked what it’s like to handle the more difficult parts of stardom, which include constant judgment from fans and media. “I’m out there playing. Nobody knows the game out there better than I do, compared to what everybody has to say. So, I really don’t give a sh*t. I just go out there and play.”
He made it clear he doesn’t pay attention to the articles, radio hits, tweets, posts, comments, television segments, and if he’s like the rest of us, chain emails from his aunt that break down the Knicks’ troubles.
“Why?” he asked, waiting for a response from the inquiring reporter. “Does it matter?”
Unfortunately for Julius, noise from the fans isn’t the only reason he’s facing massive pressure to step up his game.
Currently, the Knicks sit at 11th in the East, outside contention for the play-in tournament that grants playoff entry. If the Knickerbockers don’t right this ship soon, they could face the real threat of not even making the play-in.
Obviously, Randle’s performance will matter greatly in their chances going forward, so it’s up to him to raise his production and be more efficient when shooting the ball. We’ll see soon enough if he rises to the occasion.
