The Los Angeles Lakers will be in the NBA Lottery for a second straight season after missing the playoffs again. With their draft pick last year, the the team selected Julius Randle at seventh overall and hoped he help the team.
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Randle’s season came to an end during the team’s season opener after fracturing his right tibia. Despite the missed opportunity to grow during the season, head coach Byron Scott sees plenty of potential in Randle while comparing him to Blake Griffin during an interview with TWC SportsNet:
He’s going to be a big part of the future with this team because I think the guy is multi-talented. He’s got facets of his game that you can’t teach a 6’9″, 250-pound power forward. He brings the ball up the court, a lot like Blake Griffin. He really can handle the ball, can really pass it. One thing he’s continually working on right now is that 15-17-foot jumper. If he’s knocking that down on a consistent basis, he can almost be unguardable.”
Being compared to Blake Griffin is some high praise. Griffin has been one of the best players in the playoffs helping the Los Angeles Clippers during their run. Just like Randle, he too missed his first season in the league after suffering an injury.
The Lakers hope Randle returns from his just as Griffin did. Griffin has developed into one of the league’s premier power forwards and has expanded his game from just athletic, highlight dunks.
Randle returned to the practice court late in the season and hopes to be available as the team partakes in Summer League with Mark Madsen as coach. Should he play, Randle will join Jordan Clarkson, Jabari Brown, and the team’s draft picks among others looking to get a training camp invitation.
[divide]Lakers Nation 2015 Draft Podcast
