Knicks' Tom Thibodeau: Julius Randle 'Hungrier Now' Despite New Contract

Julius Randle apparently hasn't allowed his massive new contract to stop him from striving for greatness.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said his star forward is "hungrier than ever" after Randle put up 35 points in the Knicks' season-opening win over the Boston Celtics.

"He gives you everything he has…He had that monster year last year, got a new contract…And he's hungrier now than he was last year, which I thought was impossible," Thibodeau told reporters.

Randle signed a four-year, $117 million contract extension with the Knicks in August. While he could have waited to become a free agent after this season and likely made more money, Randle said he wanted to make a long-term commitment to New York.

"The money was one thing, but for me, it was more about the situation as far as my happiness, the basketball situation, my family, just being stable and being in New York and really just continuing to build this thing up," Randle told reporters after signing the deal. "When I signed here two years ago, this was my vision, to be able to lock in something long term and build something from the ground up. That's what we're doing. All hands on deck."

Randle won Most Improved Player and earned his first All-Star berth last season while leading the Knicks to their first playoff berth since 2012-13. 

Now that he's inked to a long-term deal and the novelty has worn off of the Knicks' surprise performance a year ago, it's clear Randle is motivated to live up to the newfound expectations. He came out with a 35-point, nine-assist, eight-rebound effort that flashed his all-around game and held things steady to hold off the Boston Celtics 138-134 in double-overtime.

Not a bad start.