Great article from Deadspin: link
Eurobasket is the biggest stage Randle will have to audition for a contract. Unlike Summer League, he is the man for Ukraine. He gets to play, as he says, “Jerome Randle basketball.” There will be no deferring to lottery picks; Ukraine didn’t pluck Randle out of Turkey to have him dribble across halfcourt and hand the ball to some prospect, the way some Summer League teams make their invitees do. The team lost an opening night heartbreaker to Lithuania and dropped a lose one to the Czech Republic, but they are still in contention to advance.
If Ukraine makes it to the Olympics, it will be because Randle takes them there. NBA people will be watching him and the rest of his underdog teammates. He has said he might not have the energy to scrap out another Summer League run, so this just may be Jerome Randle’s last prime time chance to make it to the NBA.
Eurobasket is the biggest stage Randle will have to audition for a contract. Unlike Summer League, he is the man for Ukraine. He gets to play, as he says, “Jerome Randle basketball.” There will be no deferring to lottery picks; Ukraine didn’t pluck Randle out of Turkey to have him dribble across halfcourt and hand the ball to some prospect, the way some Summer League teams make their invitees do. The team lost an opening night heartbreaker to Lithuania and dropped a lose one to the Czech Republic, but they are still in contention to advance.
If Ukraine makes it to the Olympics, it will be because Randle takes them there. NBA people will be watching him and the rest of his underdog teammates. He has said he might not have the energy to scrap out another Summer League run, so this just may be Jerome Randle’s last prime time chance to make it to the NBA.
