On This Date in Knicks History: Julius Randle re-commits to New York

Randle's stellar season (24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, six assists, All-Star, second-team All-NBA, Most Improved Player) helped the team go from the butt of jokes to something more competent. He was high-usage, physical, available, and visibly invested in the work ethic Thibs demanded. Randle defined the season on April 21, 2021 when—after scoring 40 points and grabbing 11 boards to beat the Hawks in overtime—he famously told the MSG crowd, "We here."

We loved it, this weird, slippery feeling he brought back to us called hope . The Knicks lost to the Hawks in the first round, but we were undeterred. For the first time in a long time, the hope felt real.

Randle was taken seventh in the 2014 draft by the Lakers . Take a look at how young and unrefined he was back in 2019, at his first media day as a Knickerbocker. He would come a long way in a short time under the bright lights of NYC.