Knicks Rumors: Julius Randle Ignored Team's Calls to Rest amid Ankle Injury

Julius Randle has been playing with ankle pain throughout the New York Knicks' start to the season, ignoring attempts from the team to get him to rest (per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post).

"Julius Randle had been battling through ankle pain and, as a player committed to availability, resisted attempts from the Knicks to get him to rest, multiple sources told The Post," Bondy said.

Randle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his ankle this past offseason.

He was reportedly operating at "70 percent" as he managed the pain, according to Bondy.

Randle had gotten off to an extremely slow start to the season. Through the Knicks' first six contests, he averaged 13.7 points per game while shooting just 27 percent from the field and 23 percent from three. New York finished with a record of 2-4 over that stretch.

However, the two-time All-Star has improved as of late. In his past two appearances, Randle is averaging 25.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per game while hitting 43 percent of his field goals and 36 percent of his triples.

It's not a coincidence that the Knicks won both contests.

Randle has been extremely durable throughout his career, appearing in at least 70 games in seven of the past eight seasons. The one year he didn't reach that milestone was in the shortened 2019-20 year, when the 28-year-old suited up in 64 of 66 possible opportunities.

He's taken pride in his own approach to resting, admonishing load management when speaking to reporters last season.

"I have my own science," he said, via Bondy. "I just put way too much into my body, for me personally to cheat myself out of being available for my team."

While Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is famous for playing his stars for long periods of time, it's interesting that the team urged Randle to rest before he ultimately declined their efforts.

He'll have some time to heal regardless, as New York's next contest isn't until Sunday afternoon.