thelesterlee
Being a sports fan is the weirdest shit on Earth. I have spent my entire life defending the Knicks despite how terrible they’ve always been solely due to me being born in New York. No matter how bad the team performs, fans are expected to continually support them.
If your favorite deli makes terrible egg sandwiches, you go to a different deli. You don’t keep going back every morning and giving them your money for shit food because of ‘loyalty’ or whatever.
But for some reason, sports fans have to keep eating shit and never show their displeasure.
This week, Julius Randle went to war with the fans after being booed at home against the Boston Celtics.
Julius Randle Shows Thumbs Down To Knicks Fans After Booing Him#NBA #Knicks #NBATwitter #JuliusRandle #nyknicks #NYKvsBOS #BOSvsNYK #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/iF50cqKM52
— YourSportDosage (@DosageSport) January 7, 2022
The Knicks beat the Celtics thanks to an RJ Barrett game-winning buzzer-beater but all that is being overshadowed by Julius Randle giving a thumbs down to the MSG crowd and telling them to shut the fuck up.
Some fans believe Randle got a big contract extension and is now showing his true colors while other fans are desperate to defend him regardless of how many terrible shots he misses or how many games the team loses.
I was prepared to talk about the nuance in this situation but there isn’t any. We’re all overthinking this.
When Julius Randle arrived in New York in 2019, he was a punchline. Every time he got the ball, you knew that possession was ending with an awkward spin move where he would either turn the ball over or record an offensive foul stumbling into a defender.
The following season, he was an MVP candidate out of nowhere. He led the Knicks to the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. His points jumped from 19 a game to 24. His 3-point shooting jumped from 27% to 41% which is an insane leap. He doubled his assists. He was an All-NBA player and one of the best players in the NBA. Fans would die for Randle after mocking him the year prior.
But before we talk about this season’s struggles, we have to mention the Atlanta Hawks exposing him in the playoffs. That context is crucial. He had 23 turnovers to 20 assists. He shot 29% from the field. He looked like he never held a basketball before.
Most fans were willing to give Randle the benefit of the doubt even though he looked like a Make-a-Wish kid getting a chance to play in an NBA game before his family pulls the plug on him. The Hawks were a better team and made the conference finals. Randle had the carry the offense because coach Thibs refused to sit Elfrid Payton. We fed him excuses.
So when we’re halfway through the 2021-22 season and Randle looks like he’s no longer trying out there, it makes all the sense in the world that Knicks fans are booing him. You cannot shoot 42% from the field and 32% from 3 and continue to get the pass that an MVP candidate would receive.
Julius Randle is carrying the Knicks offensively in the first half (13 points and 4 assists) but this is the type of lazy, lackadaisical, inexcusable defensive effort from Randle we’ve seen at times this season that’s frustrated fans.
NY down double-digits at halftime once again pic.twitter.com/mLJd3dtFRY
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) December 4, 2021
About once a game there is an example of Randle chucking up a contested jumper and then hanging his head jogging in slow motion giving the opposing team an easy transition bucket. The Knicks are the 10th seed in the East and their best player behaves like it’s everyone else’s fault.
The Knicks starting 5 is one of the worst units in the NBA and it’s even more obvious when Randle’s backup—Obi Toppin—comes in and completely changes the tone of the game with his energy.
Obi Toppin running gassers
pic.twitter.com/9GFkQUXbGT— downtheparkway ⑦ (@downtheparkway) December 4, 2021
Julius Randle is in the top 5 in turnovers this season. He dribbles the ball off his own feet. He jumps in the air and rockets passes at his teammates’ feet that frequently ricochet into the front row.
On one hand, he is one of only 4 players who are averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. His name is next to Giannis, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. But what separates Randle from those actually great superstars is his atrocious efficiency. He takes the most complicated shots and misses them often. He doesn’t make the players around him better.
At the end of the day, the Knicks are below .500 and the highest-paid player who is supposed to be an All-NBA talent, is holding the team underwater. He is playing like garbage and appears pissed at the fans for not supporting him through his bricks.
You are 1000% allowed to boo a guy who is the best player on the bad team. You are supposed to. It’s odd if you don’t.
Keep bullying Julius Randle until the Knicks start winning. You are in no way obligated to praise him the one time a game he decides to contest a shot at the rim after 30 minutes of not caring enough to even rotate on defense.
Boo Julius Randle.
