Lakers “Born and Bred”
Just hours after being selected, Randle was quick to take to social media in order to proclaim his love for the team that he “grew up” with. A photo posted by the player showed him donning a retro Kobe Bryant jersey with the caption “On his way to the NBA” marked along the side. Now a sweet item of sentimentality for him, it would be far too easy to forget how important this link is. Within almost all of his pre-draft interviews and press appearances, Randle was calling out for support from the Lakers. From his adoring comments about Kobe Bryant to his frequent admiration of the franchise’s history, you would be hard pushed to call the LA anything but Julius’ first choice destination. It looks like he’s got his wish.
"“It’s the organization that I wanted to go to.”"
His beaming smile before, during and after the draft last night should tell you all you need to know. Searching for a combination of passion, power and prowess from a player can often be fruitless, yet the fawning Randle landed straight into the team’s lap. He’s happy and we’re happy. Everyone’s happy.