Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) celebrates his three point shot against the Brooklyn Nets during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Julius Randle is not interested in claiming a title that was not his to win. Now suiting up for the Brooklyn Nets, the veteran forward was recently asked whether he should count himself as a champion given the role he played in the New York Knicks' long climb back to relevance. Randle politely declined the honor.
The question came with a compliment attached from Brazilian content creator Edu Marangoni. He argued Randle deserved a share of the credit for the foundation he helped build. Rather than accept it, the forward pointed the praise back toward the franchise and everyone who contributed along the way.
“Took a lot of hard years, a lot of different players,” Randle said of the Knicks' rise, calling what the organization accomplished amazing and a long time coming.
His message was clear. The championship belonged to the group that finished the job, not to a player who had already moved on.
Q: “You were one of the main players in the rebuild of the Knicks. Do you consider yourself a champion too? (In my opinion you should)”
Julius Randle: “Ah no I appreciate that. What the organization accomplished is great. Been a long time coming. Took a lot of hard years, a lot… pic.twitter.com/i0mfjNifXy
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 3, 2026
The humility tracks with Randle's history in New York. He arrived in 2019 when the Knicks were among the league's least serious teams, and his physical, high-usage game helped drag the franchise back into the playoff picture. He grew into a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection during his run at Madison Square Garden.
The twist is that Randle was eventually traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal, and Towns became a central piece of the roster that captured New York's first championship in 53 years this past season. In other words, the move that ended Randle's Knicks tenure helped make the title possible.
Now Randle finds himself in a familiar spot on the other side of the bridge. The Nets are coming off a 20-62 campaign and are leaning on the 31-year-old to provide scoring and leadership for a young roster under head coach Jordi Fernandez. He made clear he is ready to embrace the challenge again.
Randle said he looks forward to helping build something similar in Brooklyn, a nod to the rebuilding work he once shouldered in Manhattan. He may not want a piece of the Knicks' banner, but he clearly believes he can help raise one of his own.