Randolph Happy to (Finally) Be in New York
Jul 14 2010 9:59AM
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Randolph has worn jersey #4 since the 10th grade and the number has stayed with him throughout his career.
MSG Photos
Playing on the West Coast throughout his first two NBA seasons, Knicks fans probably haven’t seen much of Anthony Randolph. But it’s almost certain they will like what they see when the Knicks 6-foot-11 power forward plays his first game with the team this fall.
Randolph, who was selected 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2008 NBA Draft, has shown signs of being a star. He has proven that he can finish at the rim and runs the floor well for a player his size. Since coming out of college, he has drawn comparisons to the Lakers’ Lamar Odom and former Knicks center Marcus Camby.
“He’s a guy at 6-feet-11 who can basically jump over the basket,” Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. “He can get the rebound and bring it down on the break and make a play. He’s gonna dunk on you if you’re not ready for it. He’s got an all-around game that I think can make him an elite player. He’s obviously worked hard and his body’s a lot better now than it was two years ago. He’s got a great future.”
At only 21 years old, Randolph was the key piece in the Knicks’ sign-and-trade deal involving David Lee last week. Randolph has been on the Knicks’ radar since working out for the team as an incoming rookie two years ago, and he’s thrilled about the opportunity to showcase his talents on the world’s biggest stage – even though it has taken this long for him to finally get to New York.
“This is the place where I thought I was gonna be when I first came out and to actually end up here now is a blessing.” said Randolph, who has career averages of 9.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 96 games. “I’ve grown, I’ve matured and my game has grown. I just want to come out and I want to win some games.”
Coming over from Golden State along with Randolph is 6-11 center Ronny Turiaf and 6-5 swingman Kelenna Azubuike, both of whom are also expected to play a major role for the new-look Knicks this season. All three provide additional size for a team that was extremely undersized last season and often got overpowered in the paint.
The Knicks also acquired 6-foot-10 Amar’e Stoudemire via sign-and-trade from the Phoenix Suns last week and are currently negotiating a contract with 7-foot center Timofey Mozgov from Russia, according to Walsh.
“We were a very small team, David Lee was our biggest player,” Walsh said. “And now we got three or four guys who are pushing 7-feet. My feeling is you have to be able to play big or small, and now we have that ability.”
It’s still unknown how the Knicks’ frontcourt rotation will play out next season, but it’s probably safe to assume Randolph will be a major contributor next season. Although he is coming off an ankle injury that forced him to miss the final 47 games of last season, Randolph appears ready to play big minutes.
“My ankle is 100 percent,” Randolph said at his introductory press conference on Monday. “I had a great training staff with me back home in Dallas. We did a lot of work to make sure we prevent injuries in the future.”
Actually, he’s more than just ready to go. He’s ready for a breakout season while playing in Coach Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo system that was basically made for players like him and Stoudemire.
“I just have to continue to work hard,” Randolph said. “Even though I had injuries last season I thought I was on the road to becoming a really good player in this league before I got hurt. I just have to continue to work hard and believe in myself. Playing under a guy like Mike D’Antoni is really going to let me go, let me play and show the different things I can do. The sky’s the limit for me.”
Randolph, who was selected 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2008 NBA Draft, has shown signs of being a star. He has proven that he can finish at the rim and runs the floor well for a player his size. Since coming out of college, he has drawn comparisons to the Lakers’ Lamar Odom and former Knicks center Marcus Camby.
“He’s a guy at 6-feet-11 who can basically jump over the basket,” Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. “He can get the rebound and bring it down on the break and make a play. He’s gonna dunk on you if you’re not ready for it. He’s got an all-around game that I think can make him an elite player. He’s obviously worked hard and his body’s a lot better now than it was two years ago. He’s got a great future.”
At only 21 years old, Randolph was the key piece in the Knicks’ sign-and-trade deal involving David Lee last week. Randolph has been on the Knicks’ radar since working out for the team as an incoming rookie two years ago, and he’s thrilled about the opportunity to showcase his talents on the world’s biggest stage – even though it has taken this long for him to finally get to New York.
“This is the place where I thought I was gonna be when I first came out and to actually end up here now is a blessing.” said Randolph, who has career averages of 9.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 96 games. “I’ve grown, I’ve matured and my game has grown. I just want to come out and I want to win some games.”
Coming over from Golden State along with Randolph is 6-11 center Ronny Turiaf and 6-5 swingman Kelenna Azubuike, both of whom are also expected to play a major role for the new-look Knicks this season. All three provide additional size for a team that was extremely undersized last season and often got overpowered in the paint.
The Knicks also acquired 6-foot-10 Amar’e Stoudemire via sign-and-trade from the Phoenix Suns last week and are currently negotiating a contract with 7-foot center Timofey Mozgov from Russia, according to Walsh.
“We were a very small team, David Lee was our biggest player,” Walsh said. “And now we got three or four guys who are pushing 7-feet. My feeling is you have to be able to play big or small, and now we have that ability.”
It’s still unknown how the Knicks’ frontcourt rotation will play out next season, but it’s probably safe to assume Randolph will be a major contributor next season. Although he is coming off an ankle injury that forced him to miss the final 47 games of last season, Randolph appears ready to play big minutes.
“My ankle is 100 percent,” Randolph said at his introductory press conference on Monday. “I had a great training staff with me back home in Dallas. We did a lot of work to make sure we prevent injuries in the future.”
Actually, he’s more than just ready to go. He’s ready for a breakout season while playing in Coach Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo system that was basically made for players like him and Stoudemire.
“I just have to continue to work hard,” Randolph said. “Even though I had injuries last season I thought I was on the road to becoming a really good player in this league before I got hurt. I just have to continue to work hard and believe in myself. Playing under a guy like Mike D’Antoni is really going to let me go, let me play and show the different things I can do. The sky’s the limit for me.”
