Julius Randle’s 32-Point Tear Fuels Timberwolves Surge—Is an All-Star Selection Inevitable?

Fresh off a transformative first season in the Midwest, Julius Randle is rapidly becoming the heartbeat of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Eighteen months after the blockbuster swap that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York and delivered Randle to Minneapolis, the 31-year-old forward has parlayed his reinvented “point-forward” role into a three-year, $100 million extension that keeps him alongside Anthony Edwards through 2028. Key takeaways • Randle averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists while anchoring Minnesota’s eight-game spring surge that sealed the No. 6 seed in 2024-25. • In the playoffs he upped that to 22.6 points and 39 percent from three through two rounds, validating front-office faith after a rocky autumn acclimation. • His new deal helps the Wolves duck the second-apron tax line, giving president Tim Connelly flexibility to extend rising star Edwards next summer. Why the fit finally clicked Coach Chris Finch simplified the offense by handing primary playmaking duties to Randle on the elbows, flanking him with Edwards’ downhill burst and Rudy Gobert’s vertical gravity. The result: Minnesota posted the NBA’s third-best assist-to-turnover ratio after the All-Star break and finished 17-4 to close the schedule. Locker-room impact Teammates praise Randle’s “bully-ball calmness.” Veteran Mike Conley calls him “our tone-setter—emotionally and physically.” Sources inside Target Center say Randle’s daily 6 a.m. film sessions with assistant Elston Turner have become appointment viewing for Minnesota’s young second unit. Health and mindfulness Shoulder and groin issues that marred his New York exit are behind him after an offseason spent with Timberwolves performance chief Arnie Kander. Randle credits a mental-health reset orchestrated by psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen for “bringing the joy back” to basketball. What to watch in 2025-26 1. Three-point volume: Randle’s 5.8 attempts per game last year were a career low; internal metrics suggest 7+ boosts Minnesota’s half-court spacing. 2. Small-ball center minutes: Expect more Randle-Naz Reid frontcourts when Gobert rests, a look that torched opponents for 118.9 points per 100 possessions in April. 3. Revenge tour dates: Nov 29 at Madison Square Garden and March 14 vs. Oklahoma City headline his personal circle-the-calendar games. Bottom line If the Timberwolves are to leap from consecutive Western Conference finals trips to the franchise’s first NBA Finals, Julius Randle’s evolution from embattled Knick to empowered Timberwolf will be the engine driving that historic push.