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In an interview with Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on their "Roommates Show" podcast, Julius Randle shared the one player that closely mimics the elite skill set of the late Kobe Bryant.
Originally, Julius Randle was teammates with Bryant for two seasons when they played alongside each other in the LA Lakers. The three-time NBA All-Star forward has gone up against some of the most elite stars in NBA history and he pointed at Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony as the player that mirrored the offensive capabilities of Bryant.
"From a basketball standpoint, like he's one of the greatest scorers ever," Randle said. "I remember we first played one-on-one. He was making a lot of shots and I was like, 'How the hell is he making this s***?' It reminded me of Kobe in a sense. I remember me and Kobe played one-on-one and like I would slap his elbow, like hit him in the shoulder, it didn't matter."
It's easy to see where Julius Randle's comparison is coming from as the ability to hit contested jumpers is a close similarity between Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant.
The footwork remains a staple for the two players, which they have refined over the years to get any kind of shot they want on the court, regardless of the defender in front of them.
Julius Randle talked about Kobe Bryant's influence on his decision to join the New York Knicks
In the same podcast interview with his fellow New York Knicks teammates, Julius Randle shared the influence of Kobe Bryant's famous "Mamba Mentality" to join his current team back in 2019.
"So I kind of felt like it was that Kobe spirit 'Mamba Mentality' in me, like man let me take on this challenge and see what happens," Randle said. "Like it's easy to play for the money and all that different type of stuff, but this [joining the Knicks] for me was all about legacy. ... but if i'm done playing, how do I want to look back at my career? Did I challenge myself?"
There are various paths that an NBA player can choose to take in his career. For Julius Randle, he leaned on being remembered for forging a legacy with the Knicks franchise, as opposed to settling for a huge contract with a different team.
With the kind of season he is having, along with the New York Knicks, it's safe to say that he made the right decision with the team in fifth place (41-28 record) in the Eastern Conference standings.
In the 46 games he's played this season, Randle is averaging 24.0 points (47.2% shooting, including 31.1% from 3-point range), 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists.
Guess the Lakers players!
