NBA rookies essentially have to be sponges during their first year in the league. Even the rookies who excel are typically quite lost in terms of learning how to play consistent, winning basketball because there is so much to get adjusted to and to learn from. With the Los Angeles Lakers and No. 7 overall pick Julius Randle, he's got some incredible mentors to learn from with this team. Even if the Lakers are a disaster like many are projecting, Randle has a vast pool a NBA knowledge to draw from.
That's why teammate Kobe Bryant believes Randle would have to be a pretty big idiot to mess this opportunity up. When asked about Randle learning from the mentors like Steve Nash, Bryant, Boozer, and others in the Lakers' organization, Bryant basically told reporters Randle has no reason not to become an incredible player.
More Kobe on Randle:"If you F this up, you're a really big idiot. ESPN are idiots, but you're really a big idiot if you manage to F this up"
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) October 20, 2014
Kobe can be pretty loose with the expletives in interviews these days, but he's always aware of exactly what he said. And he knows when he's given the Lakers' beat reporters a headline and story to use.
After his presser ended, Kobe said to me, "You're welcome," referring to amazing F bomb quote about Randle. #Kobesystem
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) October 20, 2014
Randle's talent is undeniable. He was one of the prizes of the 2014 NBA Draft dating back to before his freshman year at Kentucky started. He slipped to seventh in the 2014 draft but was still looked at as a potential All-Star. He'll be battling big men Carlos Boozer, Jordan Hill, and Ed Davis for minutes this season, and maybe even second-year player Ryan Kelly if Byron Scott wants to use him as a stretch-4. That would, of course, be assuming Scott eventually figures out 3-point shots are good and you want to spread the floor.
Earning minutes on this Lakers team will be tough because they're going to believe they're a playoff-capable team. Even if that's crazy to think, that's their mindset with so many veterans on the roster.
