The Los Angeles Lakers began their 2014-15 season with plenty of hope. Having just experiencing their worst year since moving to Los Angeles, the team were given a rare lottery pick and drafted Julius Randle with the seventh selection.
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Randle’s growth was supposed to be one of the watch throughout the year, but the rookie suffered a fractured tibia during his first NBA game which ended his season just nineteen minutes into it. In a recent interview on Fred Roggin Show on The Beast 980, Randle discussed how he was felt both frustrated and saddened after realizing his season was cut short:
A little bit of both. There’s frustration and I’m angry because what could I have done to prevent it. Frustrated – it’s the first game, it’s a terrible way to feel like you’re starting your career. There’s sadness at the same time. What happens from now? Where do you go? You know that you’re going to be ok. There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to be ok, but it’s like something has been stripped away from you so there’s sadness too.
Just about four and a half months after the injury occurred, Randle was cleared for non-contact basketball activity and was seen participating in drills earlier this week. He’s already looking forward to his return and developing his game.
His road back is a busy one. Head coach Byron Scott expects Randle to be ready for Summer League to play along side the other Lakers prospects. The Kentucky product also plans on meeting with Kobe Bryant over the summer and is excited to work with him.
Randle figures to be an important piece to the Lakers rebuilding plans. By the time he steps on the court, the team will likely be vastly different. The team owns a top-five protected pick as well as plenty of cap room to bring in free agents.
[divide]Lakers Rookie Julius Randle Cleared For Non-Contact Basketball Activity