New York Knicks: Julius Randle having a season for the ages

With the arrival of new head coach Tom Thibodeau, the New York Knicks‘ path to a revival was always going to start at the defensive end of the floor. And to this point, this has certainly proven to be the case, with the Knicks rising rapidly in a number of defensive measurements.

In addition to rising from 23rd to seventh in defensive rating, they are holding their opponents to a league-leading return in points per game (103.9) and field goal percentage (43.1). With the combination of a well-drilled defensive unit anchored by two legitimate paint protectors in Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel, the Knicks have commenced with a 9-12 record, having won just four games at the same point last season.

The elite output of Julius Randle is one of the major factors behind the surprising early-season success of the New York Knicks

But a further key factor in their notable rise has been the sublime play of forward Julius Randle. In his seventh season, Randle is averaging 22.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 36.5 minutes per game, all representing a career-high. To put these numbers in perspective, no player in New York Knicks history had recorded a full season in averaging at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per game, per Stathead.

Furthermore, the following is a complete list of the players in NBA history who have posted Randle’s current numbers for an entire season, per Stathead:

• Oscar Robertson
• Wilt Chamberlain
• Kevin Garnett
• Russell Westbrook

The most notable of his counting numbers have come via Randle’s newly-found playmaking role under coach Thibodeau. At 6.0 assists per game, Randle ranks only behind LeBron James and Draymond Green among all forwards in this category. At 83.9 touches per game, Randle ranks 12th in the entire league in this category, with further increases in his average time with the ball and dribbles per touch, per NBA Stats.

After a 30-point, 16-rebound and seven-assist performance in a win over the Utah Jazz earlier this season, coach Thibodeau was full of praise for the 26-year-old Randle:

"“He’s our engine. He plays with a lot of toughness, and there’s a lot of multiple-effort plays that he’s making, but he’s also playing very unselfishly. If you cut and you’re open, he’s going to hit you….So, he’s doing a lot of things for us really well….Playing big minutes, comes in the next day and works, takes care of his body, great with recovery, great in the film sessions, and it’s the type of leadership that’s invaluable to a team.”"

Looking ahead, things are only looking up for Randle and the Knicks. Armed with their own first-round pick each year until 2027, and two additional first-round picks from the Dallas Mavericks via the Kristaps Porzingis trade, the Knicks have plenty to look forward to. And that doesn’t mention the fact the Knicks currently have just $48.5 million on the books for next season, thus giving their front office plenty of wriggle room when planning ahead.

In the meantime, the New York Knicks should look to build upon their highly promising start to the season led by Julius Randle, who appears destined to become the first All-Star named for the franchise since Kristaps Porzingis in 2018.