Last night, what most people thought was a fact became a reality: New York Knicks star Julius Randle was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2020/21 season.
It couldn’t have gone another way. Even if other players had a bigger boost in terms of numbers, no player in the world improved as much as Julius Randle did, and we’re not just talking about what reflects in the stat sheet.
Randle went from making questionable decisions on both ends of the floor and not being much of a fan favorite to becoming an All-Star and All-NBA caliber player and lead the Knicks to their first playoff berth in years.
That’s why the league and the team decided that the best way to honor him and his efforts this season was by taking advantage of the most important thing in his life: His adorable son Kyden.
Kyden had his hair braid just like his old man and surprised him during practice, carrying the MIP trophy and giving him in front of his teammates in such a heartwarming moment.
https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1397329683658641408
Besides his MIP case, Randle was also a legit MVP candidate with averages of 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.3 three-pointers per game on 45/41/81 shooting splits, while also leading the league with 37.6 minutes per game.
The way he approaches the game nowadays and all the things he did to improve his craft should be inspiring to all those players that have a tough time entering the league despite being high-lottery picks.
Julius Randle’s signing was heavily mocked and questioned but, eventually, he proved that he could be the star that Madison Square Garden was craving since Carmelo Anthony left the floor. Now, he’s got to finish the job and lead them when it matters the most: The postseason.
