[h2]Randolph Sees Opportunity in Knicks’ System[/h2]By
JONATHAN ABRAMS
Enteringhis third N.B.A. season, Anthony Randolph and the word potential arenearly synonymous. With the Golden State Warriors, Randolph showedglimpses of a bright today and a sparkling tomorrow, but injuries andspats with Warriors Coach Don Nelson stagnated his basketball growth.
The Knicks acquired Randolph, along with Ronny Turiaf and KelennaAzubuike, in a sign-and-trade exchange for David Lee earlier thismonth. Randolph, 21, expects to earn minutes in the Knicks’restocked frontline along with the team’s marquee newcomer,Amar’e Stoudemire. On Monday, Randolph met with reporters beforegreeting children at the Knicks’ summer basketball camp at PaceUniversity’s Pleasantville Campus.
Question: Did you feel like you escaped from Golden State?
Anthony Randolph: It was a situation, I was hurt. Iwasn’t getting a lot of playing time before I was hurt. I thinkNellie probably saw me doing something different than what washappening. It was a learning experience.
Q. What’s your mind-set now?
A. It’s all on me right now. If I don’tsucceed, it’s my fault. It’s not on anybody else. Coach isgoing to give me an opportunity to show what I can do and if Idon’t capitalize on it, it’s nobody’s fault but mine.
Q. What do you remember from your workout with the Knicksin 2008 (Randolph went 14th, eight slots after the Knicks selectedDanilo Gallinari)?
A. I was a little upset when I wasn’t drafted bythem. I thought I was going to be here. I thought it was the perfectthing for me.
Q. Are you tired of hearing about your potential, rather than where you are now?
A. It gets a little frustrating, but it’s part of thegame, injuries and things like that. I just turned 21. This will be mythird year, so I have a lot of time to mature. I’m still growingand maturing. The sky’s the limit.
Q. Why do you feel like the Knicks and Mike D’Antoni are a good fit?
A. He allows his players to play. In Golden State, it waskind of like a situation where he wanted me to rebound and that’sit, don’t do nothing else. Here, it’s more God has given methe natural ability to handle the ball a little bit. You can move likea guard, you can guard guys, you’re able to be put in differentpositions and I think I’ll be allowed to do that here.
Q. Are the styles between Nelson and D’Antoni similar?
A. There’s some of it similar. Both systems you getup and down and stuff. But I think in this system you’re a littlemore free to do the things you’re good at.
Q. How do you envision playing with Stoudemire in the post?
A. That’s going to be great. There’s a lot ofhighlights and stuff like that. Amar’e is a very dominant player,a great player. He’s going to take a lot of attention off me.That alone is going to make me a better player.
Q. Have you talked with Stoudemire and point guard Raymond Felton about changing the culture here?
A. Everybody’s on the same page. The two guys that Icame in with, Amar’e and Raymond, I worked out with them a littlebit in Vegas. I honestly feel like everybody that’s on this teamright now wants to get better, wants to work hard and win games, pointblank.
Q. There have been a lot of changes here. How do you think the roster looks and where do you think you fit in?
A. I think the roster looks good. We’ve got a lot ofgood pieces. When we come in for training camp, we’ve just got toput it together, build a chemistry, but I think that’ll be noproblem. We’ve got a lot of good guys. I know personally, for afact, that Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna are great people and greatteammates. So that’s a start right there.
Q. What did your get from your experience with Golden State?
A. I tell people that ask me about that situation and theysay it was all bad. I think it helped me grow up and mature a lot. Justdealing with some of the things I had to deal with and the adversitiesthat went on there, it kind of made me grow up and allowed me toappreciate some of the things that I have and some of the thingsI’ll be able to do here.
Q. You were injured a good portion of last year. How muchare you itching to get back to 100 percent and playing again? How areyour workouts with the assistant coach Dan D’Antoni?
A. I’m ready. I told Dan this morning after workoutsI wished the season started tomorrow. I’m ready to play.I’m ready to get out there. I feel I’ve added some thingsin my game. I feel like my shot is a thousand times better. I’mjust ready to get out there and show everybody all the hard workI’ve put in since April 15, since the last game of the season.
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