Julius Randle draws on Kobe Bryant lessons to guide Nets' young core

Julius Randle, who helped revive the Knicks before a stint with Minnesota, joined the Brooklyn Nets and immediately saw a youthful roster that could benefit from his experience. He pointed to Kobe Bryant as the benchmark that guided him when he was a rookie, and he tries to pass those lessons on now. Randle praised the team's promising pieces, including 6-foot-8 guard Egor Demin and No. 6 pick Mikel Brown Jr., citing their athleticism and basketball IQ.

A light-hearted story from a summer golf outing in Dallas illustrated the players' lack of etiquette but also their willingness to learn. While Brown denied breaking a club, Demin confirmed the incident. Randle believes his mentorship could accelerate the Nets' path to a playoff berth after three consecutive 50-loss seasons.