Julius Randle recalls lessons learned from Kobe Bryant as he aims to mentor young Nets teammates

Julius Randle credits Kobe Bryant as his most influential mentor during his early NBA career. As a rookie in Los Angeles, Randle had Kobe as his teammate and learned invaluable lessons from the Hall of Famer. Randle now feels he can pass on those same lessons to the young players on the Brooklyn Nets, where he is serving as a mentor after being traded to the team from Minnesota.

Randle highlighted the Nets' young nucleus, including 6-foot-8 guard Egor Demin and guard Mikel Brown Jr. He noticed they had a lot to learn and needed guidance to grow quickly. During a team bonding golf outing in Dallas, Randle realized they were young and inexperienced. He quickly adapted, understanding they were eager to learn.

Randle has seen firsthand how talented the players are, such as Brown's ability to make every read in the pick-and-roll. He is impressed by Demin's athleticism and shooting efficiency, noting his transition from playing in Spain to the NBA after just one year at BYU. Randle also mentioned how Demin and Brown have asked for his advice, similar to the numerous questions he received after Bryant's passing in 2020.

Randle emphasized the importance of passing along what Kobe taught him, striving to be a positive influence on the young players around him.