Julius Randle, who played just 14 minutes before his season came to a shocking end after suffering a broken leg in his first NBA game, is determined to bounce back from that devastating injury and live up to the hype as the rightful heir to Kobe Bryant's throne.
Despite seeing his right leg snap in two in his first professional game, 20-year Randle insisted the experience did not break his will to become the best player he can be.
Selected 7th overall in the 2014 Draft, Randle is aware of the enormous amount of pressure he'll have to take on once he returns to the court. While the injury took a lot from him, the former Kentucky Wildcats standout also stressed the adversity also helped him prepare mentally for the big moments ahead of him.
"Taking notes on those guys, taking notes on how I would attack those guys next year, or what they do, what do they like," Randle said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report Lakers lead writer Kevin Ding.
"Just try to become an extreme student of the game. That's for me, personally. To make sure when we're playing five games in seven nights, and it's tough to keep up next season, I'll have my own scouting report as well as the coaches."
With his leg slowly feeling better than ever, Randle will be expecting himself playing at the Las Vegas Summer League before plunging into another teeth-grinding training camp in December.
Then, there this rumor about Bryant's possible retirement at the end of the 2015-16 season. Bryant, who also saw his season coming to an end too soon after sustaining a major shoulder injury, has been dropping hints pertaining to looming end of the Black Mamba days in Los Angeles.
Seeing an endeared legend like Bryant leaving would be big loss for the Lakers organization. But for Randle, Bryant's retirement would be nothing more than a tiny setback, because he's ready to fill in the big shoes Mamba would be leaving void anytime.
"I'm paying my dues right now, doing whatever I have to do to be ready," Randle said. "But, of course, it's something you think about: Who wouldn't want to be in his position?
Kob came in and paid his dues and eventually became the guy for the Lakers and someone they built around. Of course, that's something you think of as far as what you want for this organization and winning and what you want for yourself and your team.
For a young player who hasn't completed a single game in his career, it took a lot of confidence for Randle to say he's the next big thing in Los Angeles. Then again, Randle isn't anything different to a young Kobe: bold, ambitious and always hungry to prove people wrong. The jury is out for Randle to show to everybody that he's in fact Bryant's successor. Until then, the Lakers is pretty much owned by the Mamba himself.
Julius Randle, who played just 14 minutes before his season came to a shocking end after suffering a broken leg in his first NBA game, is determined to bounce back from that devastating injury and live up to the hype as the rightful heir to Kobe Bryant's throne.
Despite seeing his right leg snap in two in his first professional game, 20-year Randle insisted the experience did not break his will to become the best player he can be.
Selected 7th overall in the 2014 Draft, Randle is aware of the enormous amount of pressure he'll have to take on once he returns to the court. While the injury took a lot from him, the former Kentucky Wildcats standout also stressed the adversity also helped him prepare mentally for the big moments ahead of him.
"Taking notes on those guys, taking notes on how I would attack those guys next year, or what they do, what do they like," Randle said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report Lakers lead writer Kevin Ding.
"Just try to become an extreme student of the game. That's for me, personally. To make sure when we're playing five games in seven nights, and it's tough to keep up next season, I'll have my own scouting report as well as the coaches."
With his leg slowly feeling better than ever, Randle will be expecting himself playing at the Las Vegas Summer League before plunging into another teeth-grinding training camp in December.
Then, there this rumor about Bryant's possible retirement at the end of the 2015-16 season. Bryant, who also saw his season coming to an end too soon after sustaining a major shoulder injury, has been dropping hints pertaining to looming end of the Black Mamba days in Los Angeles.
Seeing an endeared legend like Bryant leaving would be big loss for the Lakers organization. But for Randle, Bryant's retirement would be nothing more than a tiny setback, because he's ready to fill in the big shoes Mamba would be leaving void anytime.
"I'm paying my dues right now, doing whatever I have to do to be ready," Randle said. "But, of course, it's something you think about: Who wouldn't want to be in his position?
Kob came in and paid his dues and eventually became the guy for the Lakers and someone they built around. Of course, that's something you think of as far as what you want for this organization and winning and what you want for yourself and your team.
For a young player who hasn't completed a single game in his career, it took a lot of confidence for Randle to say he's the next big thing in Los Angeles. Then again, Randle isn't anything different to a young Kobe: bold, ambitious and always hungry to prove people wrong. The jury is out for Randle to show to everybody that he's in fact Bryant's successor. Until then, the Lakers throne is pretty much owned by the Mamba himself.
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