New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle missed the final 36 games of the 2023-24 NBA season with a dislocated shoulder, but thankfully for the storied franchise, it won’t jeopardize his ability to start the 2024-25 campaign.
Knicks: Julius Randle & his wife share encouraging update on his injury recovery
Multiple sources, including Randle’s wife Kendra Randle and the two-time All-NBA honoree himself, recently came out and declared that he will be ready to open the show with the Knicks on Oct. 22. Randle’s wife made the declaration on the series premiere of their new show ‘Julius Randle: Family, Recovery, and Life Beyond Basketball,’ as Jordanna Clark of Daily Knicks shared:
Further, Randle hit the NBA world with an enticing post on Instagram on Friday showing a montage of his offseason grind hinting at his physical fitness being in tip-top shape well ahead of the regular season opener, which he captioned (h/t: Ben Stinar of Fastbreak on SI):
“Long journey back!! Excited to share some of my story ??”
The Knicks need Randle healthy in order to have a chance at winning the 2025 NBA Finals
The Knicks have serious championship expectations for next season. As it stands, they are viewed in the eyes of many as the primary threat to the defending champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. They won’t be able to upset Boston or the league’s apple cart of top title contenders next time out if Randle isn’t available and on his game.
The Texas native did not play at his best last year, yet he still put up 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and five assists per game on 47.2 percent shooting from the field, exemplifying how effective he can be even in the midst of adversity.
Additionally, though the Knicks finished off the previous campaign strong, going 21-15 in the 36 games he missed from Jan. 29 onward, they clearly showed that they needed his scoring and playmaking in their seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinals series that they lost to the Indiana Pacers last postseason.
With a much stronger Eastern Conference featuring several improved teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic that will come for the Knicks’ spot as the No. 2 overall seed next time out, having Randle healthy for all 82 games or close to it will give them their best shot to contend. It is the franchise and the fanbase’s hope that his health will hold up as he and his family have raved about this offseason.
