Metta World Peace intrigued with Julius Randle’s potential

Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace

Below is a Q&A with former Lakers forward Metta World Peace, who offered insight on Julius Randle’s potential after training with him this past summer at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo.

What are your impressions of Julius’ development?

World Peace: “I think he’s definitely physical. I want to continue to teach him on how to use his body positioning. Right now, I think he’s quick and he’s physical. But he has to continue to learn the angles on the court that’s going to benefit him right now. There’s times he can do certain things. I’m trying to help him and continue to talk to him about how to play off the ball. I’m trying to talk to him about playing on and off the ball.

The Lakers have been great. I’m home a lot with my children. I like to stay around the game and I like to teach. The Lakers and coach [Byron] Scott have been letting me come around and just talk. I like to talk. They’ve been letting me talk to Julius and help out. It’s really been fulfilling to me to have the opportunity.”

When did you start working out at the Lakers’ practice facility?

World Peace: “I started maybe a month and a half ago. I forget when. I got with Julius a little bit and talked with him a little bit. Now I just watch him play a lot. I see how he is evolving. I see how he is learning little things that will make the Lakers better. If he can continue to learn the little things, you’ll see the Lakers in the playoffs.”

Playoffs? Really?


World Peace:
“Absolutely. If he and a couple of other players continue to learn the little things, this year people will be surprised and they say, ‘Wow, the Lakers are in the playoffs at a pretty decent seed.’ But it’s going to take hard work and intelligence.”

Julius Randle's potential "is great," according to former Lakers forward Metta World Peace. (Thomas R. Cordova/Staff Photographer)

Julius Randle’s potential “is great,” according to former Lakers forward Metta World Peace. (Thomas R. Cordova/Staff Photographer)


How does Julius go about positioning his body, using angles and playing off the ball?

World Peace: “You can’t really implement things in one day. It takes time. I’ve seen him a couple of times put some of the stuff we’ve been talking about into the game. A lot of people look at me as a defender. But a lot of people forget I averaged 20 points in the league before. Right before the Brawl, I was averaging 25 points a game [24.6]. The year before that, I was averaging 20 [18.3]. I was averaging 20 in Sacramento [18.7] and 22 in the playoffs against the Lakers. I scored the ball. Some people forget that. My defense was always really really good. So people forget I was a good scorer.

Sometimes I have to show people I can play. So when I talk and play a little one on one, people can say, ‘Wow, Metta can really play.’ You get more respect when I go out there and play against some of the young guys and put in some work. They’ll understand what I’m talking about and I’ll put it to work.”

The way Julius and Byron [Scott] tell it, Julius tried to get physical with you the first time you two played each other earlier this year. What do you remember about that?

World Peace:
“He definitely attacked me. It was good though. He was just coming back [from injury]. I was on vacation. The Lakers offered me to come work out with Julius. I wasn’t in great shape. I was still on vacation mode mentally. But I still gave a little effort. It was good. Both of us weren’t 100 percent mentally or physically. During the summer, we slowly started to play full court with each other. We ended up going at it. Julius is very good. But he’s young. I’m about to be 36. I’ve been through a lot. I know the game pretty well. I had some advantages. He had some advantages.

He’s going to continue to gain advantages as long as he continues to gain intelligence. I’m always talking about the intelligent part of the game. He’s getting that. He’s driving and kicking now. That is real important. People don’t understand how important driving and kicking is. It seems simple. But it’s an important part of the game. It’s things like that that can make or break a season.”

Why is driving and kicking so important?


World Peace:
“Driving and kicking is important for a few reasons. On the kick, you’re getting a lot of closeout defenders. When you drive in the back, you’re getting a defender helping. When you hit the pass to that defender’s man, then everybody is in scramble mode on defense. Driving and kicking is very important. It’s not easy to do. You can say, ‘I can drive and kick.’ But you have to have really good timing. You can’t just drive and kick for no reason. Then you run into a lot of defenders.

There’s little things like that that young players don’t really understand. Then there’s spacing. When I was a young player, I didn’t understand how important it was just to stay in the corner. I didn’t understand that. I always would come up [to the top of the key]. There’s a big difference from being in the corner to being three steps away from the corner. That changes the whole game. That changes the whole possession. There’s things like that, moving three steps to the left or three steps to the right, that can change a whole possession. It can make a really big difference on your season.”

Former Lakers forward Metta World Peace has frequently worked out this summer at the Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo.

Former Lakers forward Metta World Peace has frequently worked out this summer at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo.


It remains to be seen if the Lakers will sign you for this upcoming season. But what do you think you’ve done being at their facility for most of the summer?


World Peace:
“I’ve tried to continue to talk to them, not just Julius. I try to talk to all of the young guys. I’m a Bulls fan. I grew up a Bulls fan. When my career is over and I’m done coaching and I’m 70 years old, I’m going to return to being a Bulls fan. I already got it all planned out. I already have my jerseys and everything I’m going to wear. I’m always going to be a Bulls fan. I won’t forget my roots. I support the Knicks heavily. I’m a heavy supporter of the Knicks. But as of right now, I’m a Lakers fan. I root for the Lakers. I watch the Lakers. I watched every game last season.

I remember possessions last year where guys were so clogged up because of the young rookies, and the spacing was bad. I remember when I saw certain possessions, I kept yelling, ‘Spacing, spacing’ as I’m rooting for the Lakers on TV in China. I actually enjoyed it. I’m a fan that wants to see the Lakers get back. I have a vested interest in seeing these guys do well. Now I’m watching the Lakers on TV. I’m rooting for Kobe [Bryant] and the Lakers. Everybody is saying the Lakers aren’t going to the playoffs. I’m like, ‘The Lakers are going to the playoffs.'”

So the fact that Julius was not afraid to get physical with you, what does that tell you about him?


World Peace:
“Not being afraid and being intelligent is different, right? I talked to him about making sure every aspect of his game is at a high level. OK, so you’re not afraid. From 0 to 100 your level of fearlessness is 100, great. If your level of physicality is 100, great. If your level of athleticism is 100, great. But where is your level of intelligence? Is it 50 or is it 70? Now we have to get your intelligence up.

Now we have to look at your skill. Is it at 50 or 60? We have to get that up. Where is your level of timing and reaction-time? Is it at 40? Now we have to get that up. I talked to him about the balance on everything. Where is your free throw percentage at? Let’s get that up. Is your right hand good? People may not be afraid. But if your fearlessness is at 80 and your intelligence is way up, it’s better. You see what I’m saying? That’s where the game gets interesting. Players evolve. He is definitely fearless. But I’m more concerned with where his intelligence is at.”

So was it intelligent that Julius played you physical considering how you are as a player?

World Peace: [laughs]. “I’m fearless [laughs]. I’m still pretty edgy. I don’t show it as much emotionally. But mentally, I’m really really angry. But you can’t see it. I don’t show it anymore. But I’m 1,000 percent angry when I play basketball. I just don’t show it [laughs].

My life flashed before my eyes when you charged into me that one time.

World Peace: [laughs] “I’m able to control my anger better. I can control it better than the Hulk. The Hulk can’t even control it.”

So when you analyze all the things you were talking about regarding Julius, what do you think his potential is this upcoming season?


World Peace:
“I think his potential is great. I think he catches on quickly. As I was talking to him, I see that he caught on quickly. His thing is going to be in order to win now, he has to prepare now. He cannot wait until day one. Then you’ll be two months behind schedule. So he has to start to win now. He has to think about winning now. Once he steps foot in the gym, he has to think about winning. He can’t start in preseason and he can’t start on the first day of the season.

The other thing is once he loses, he will understand why he lost. When he makes a mistake, he understands why he made a mistake. When he doesn’t move the ball, next time he will move the ball and run pick-and-roll. He catches on really quick. If he can continue that evolution as the game goes on, I think he’ll be fine. I think he’ll be an important piece to the Lakers going to the playoffs.”

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