There was a time not long ago when Julius Randle was seen as the guy who’d either bulldoze his way to the basket or bulldoze his own team’s momentum. But now? Man’s playing playoff basketball like he’s channeling 2009 Pau Gasol with a splash of 2011 Dirk. And after flaming the Warriors in the Western Conference Semis, even Draymond Green had to give it up to the former Knicks.

But here’s the kicker — after Draymond owned up to losing his matchup against Randle, Lisa Salters dropped an even spicier nugget during Game 1 of the Timberwolves vs. Thunder series: Julius Randle personally gave Draymond his flowers after the series. Yes, the same Randle who’s been roasted in the past for vanishing under pressure is now the guy other All-Stars are admitting cooked them.

“Getting this far for the first time in his career has given him such an appreciation for teams like the Warriors,” Lisa reported. “He told Draymond Green after they closed out Golden State about how much respect he has for them, for grinding like this, getting this deep in the playoffs consistently.”

Randle basically told Draymond: Respect, OG. You’re out here making Conference Finals appearances like you’re collecting Infinity Stones. Meanwhile, most dudes are already sipping coconut water in Tulum or locked in an off-season gym routine with Chris Brickley in some mystery gym filled with NBA vibes and ring-less ambitions.

“He said some guys are already on their second vacations or getting ready to start training for next season. And being a part of the Final Four, Randle said, you’re still working. It is a grind.”

That’s not just maturity — that’s full-on playoff enlightenment. And for those who forgot, Randle missed the playoffs entirely last year with a shoulder injury. So this whole experience? He’s savoring it like a post-game meal at Nobu on the company dime.

Randle’s Redemption Tour Is Getting Personal

In that series vs. the Warriors, Julius wasn’t just hooping — he was soul-snatching. Draymond, the king of playoff mind games, looked like he was guarding 2020 Bubble Jamal Murray the way Randle had him spinning. “I don’t FEEL like I lost my matchup… I lost my matchup, like Julius was incredible,” Draymond admitted on his podcast. And the numbers? They read like a cheat code. Randle is averaging 18.7 points, 4.7 assists, 7.1 rebounds, and shooting a casual 48.5% from the field, like he was out there playing MyCareer on Rookie mode.

But what really makes this story even sweeter is that Randle wasn’t even supposed to be here. Remember, he was part of that off-season shocker — the Karl-Anthony Towns trade that had Knicks fans in denial and Wolves fans clutching their crystals. Yet here we are. Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, and who’s carrying the Timberwolves while Ant-Man is limping around? Yep, Julius Randle.

As of the first 3 quarters, he put up 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including a 5-for-6 barrage from deep. That’s not shooting — that’s reenacting Klay Thompson Game 6 vs. OKC energy. And with Minnesota down by 10 going into the fourth, those buckets mattered. Meanwhile, his teammates were firing bricks like they were at the NBA Draft Lottery. Reid, DiVincenzo, and NAW combined to shoot — 2-of-16, aka 13% from deep.

Let’s not ignore the scare early in this one — Anthony Edwards, Minnesota’s superstar and noted trash-talk enthusiast, twisted his ankle in the first quarter after a collision with Alex Caruso. Edwards walked off under his own power, did the classic “I’m fine but not really fine” locker room walk, and then came back like he was starring in a gritty reboot of The Last Dance.

His first play back? An assist to Randle for a splash. A few minutes later? Edwards dropped a three of his own. Even when Ant is hurting, he’s still got main character energy.

At the end of the 3rd quarter now, the Timberwolves are trailing OKC 76-66 heading into the final stretch of Game 1. But don’t let the score fool you. Julius Randle is giving them a real shot. After years of being labeled playoff-ineffective, Randle has reinvented himself in Minnesota. He’s doing everything — scoring, passing, stretching the floor — and making the Knicks’ decision to move on look like a plot twist they weren’t ready for.

So yeah, Draymond might’ve lost the battle, but Randle’s winning the war. And the Timberwolves? They might just mess around and end up in the NBA Finals. Tim Connelly, go ahead and take a bow. You listened to Prince, made the boldest trade of the offseason, and now you’ve got a superstar forward who’s dishing out buckets and humble-bragging with grace.

Let the Randle Renaissance roll on.