Julius Randle’s return to New York this week came with more than just basketball headlines. The Minnesota Timberwolves forward stopped by The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, where he revealed a daring story that blended humor, courage, and the lasting influence of Kobe Bryant, a man who clearly shaped how Randle views life and fear.
When Fallon asked him about the viral video of him and his wife cage-diving with great white sharks, Randle laughed before admitting, “A lot is wrong with me.”
The crowd chuckled, but as Randle described the moment, it became clear this wasn’t a stunt for attention, it was a deeply personal experience inspired by his late mentor.
“This is me and my wife, we’re down there in the cage. But then we get down there, it’s amazing. It’s peaceful.”
That sense of calm amid danger, Randle explained, came straight from the teachings of Kobe Bryant.
“He was a big motivator for doing this because he used to go to South Africa and he used to dive, and swim with the great whites and stuff like that,” Randle said. “So we used to talk about it all the time, so I was like, I want to do it eventually.”
Randle’s story painted a vivid picture of Bryant’s influence beyond basketball. During Randle’s rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014–15, Kobe’s relentless ‘Mamba Mentality’ made a lasting impression on him. That mindset, confronting fear head-on, whether on the court or in life, continues to define Randle’s approach even a decade later.
The shark-diving adventure became a metaphor for Randle’s own evolution. Once known for his fiery intensity and frustration during his Knicks years, he now exudes balance and perspective, traits Kobe often preached. For Randle, swimming with great whites wasn’t about chasing thrills. It was about embracing discomfort, finding composure in chaos, and proving that fear can be turned into focus.
But the conversation didn’t end there. Fallon, ever the entertainer, lightened the mood by asking Randle about life with his new team and his dynamic with Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. Randle’s praise for his younger teammate was genuine.
With Edwards sidelined by a hamstring injury, Randle has been the driving force for Minnesota, averaging 26.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while shooting 55.8% from the field and 43.2% from three. His recent triple-double against Brooklyn underscored how seamlessly he’s adapted since joining the Timberwolves last season, in the blockbuster trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks.
Wednesday’s matchup at Madison Square Garden carries a poetic edge, Randle’s second game back in New York since the trade. For years, he carried the weight of Knicks expectations and media scrutiny. Now, he returns with a new perspective, a fresh jersey, and a calm that mirrors the one he described underwater.
In many ways, Kobe’s influence still echoes through every decision Randle makes, from attacking defenders in the post to confronting his fears 30 feet beneath the ocean.
That philosophy, to swim toward the shark, not away from it, seems to define Randle’s career now. Whether it’s navigating the NBA spotlight or literally diving into danger, he’s carrying the Mamba spirit with him.
As he left Fallon’s stage, grinning and relaxed, it was clear Julius Randle’s journey had come full circle. Once a young Laker learning from Kobe Bryant, he’s now a veteran star paying tribute to his mentor’s legacy by living fearlessly, in basketball and beyond.
