Julius Randle about wanting to play with LeBron James at All-Star Game: "It would be fun to do before he gets his old a** outta here"
As NBA All-Star weekend approaches, fans, analysts and players — including Julius Randle — are all eager to see how things play out in the first pre-game All-Star draft. In recent years, the format has seen the two team captains draft teams. However, this will be the first time it takes place right before the All-Star game.
Given that, players have no idea whether they'll end up on Team LeBron James or Team Giannis Antetokounmpo for the 72nd All-Star game. With just days to go until the festivities kick off in Salt Lake City, Utah, New York Knicks star Randle is holding out hope that he can land on Team LeBron.
The way he sees things, with James not getting any younger despite his recent surge in play, it would be a great opportunity to be a teammate of King James. He spoke to media members ahead of All-Star weekend to give his thoughts on the possibilty of playing with LeBron James:
"It would be fun to do before he gets his old ass outta here."
Of course, between his recent extension, and his desire to play with both of his kids, LeBron James doesn't seem to be going anywhere quite yet. Despite that, the possibility of owning an NBA team when the league expands has many questioning how long he continues to play for.
Julius Randle would like to play with LeBron James and Paul George at the All-Star Game. Why LeBron?
"It would be fun to do before he gets his old ass outta here" 🤣 https://t.co/HPlgO6tGsh
Julius Randle's return to the All-Star Game
After making his first All-Star Game appearance in 2021, Julius Randle came up short of being an All-Star last season. Given that, his selection this season means quite a bit to him. Last season, Randle missed out on a $600,000 bonus after missing out on the All-Star game.
This season, he's had to learn to lead, not just on the court, but off the court as well. He spoke to media members after the Knicks defeated the Miami Heat recently, talking about his growth as a player, and what the All-star nomination means to him, saying:
“I think man the biggest thing was, I don't want to say I cared too much, but I care a lot. It's a lot that I put into it. I don't want to make it about myself, but individually, throughout the summer, mentally and physically, I put a lot into the game. And sometimes I get into my own head, because I'm such a perfectionist with stuff.
“And when things aren’t going right, I can get a little frustrated. For me, I have to accept failure, accept those things… learn to deal with frustration. And I think that is really like the biggest adjustment. Success feels amazing and I don't want to let go of it. For me, while we were having our ups and down, I had to learn how to be a leader."
With All-Star weekend rapidly approaching, it will be interesting to see whether or not James drafts Julius Randle for the game.