Who is your hero? For many people at PCA, Basketball Alumni Julius Randle is at the top of their list. Julius graduated at PCA in 2013 and was the 7th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft going to the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2018, he was traded to the New Orlean Pelicans, and in 2019 he was traded to the New York Knicks, where he plays today.

Head of Counseling and Guidance, Mrs. Amber Beckles said, “Julius always likes to laugh; he loves music, and he’s super kind and personable.”

Julius loved his teachers, and his teachers loved him. He has worked hard on and off the court to achieve where he is today. According to Mrs. Beckles, who is also his former technology teacher, “We didn’t really know that he was such a good player in Upper School for a while. In Photoshop class, he would google himself and glue his cutout onto fake Nike ads.”

After the pep rally, Julius talked to the basketball team; he said, “I loved the time and purity of high school basketball, there are no business aspects, just the brotherhood of playing together as teammates.”

For many teachers, they have been in awe of their former student reaching the NBA. Julius is a very humble man, and some of them never knew his future for basketball. For most of them, he was one of their kids.

Mrs. Beckles said, “I never knew how good he was, so when I asked him if he was going to play in college… the whole class went silent.”

Today, Julius plays for the New York Knicks in the NBA. Make sure to stay tuned for October 25th as the Knicks will play the Celtics. All of his hard work and discipline over the summer will pay off. Fun fact, he couldn’t even have ice cream.

Varsity Basketball Head Coach, Mr. Jeff Clarkson said, “Julius Randle’s legacy has affected our program greatly, he gives our players a sense of pride for the program.”

Making it to the NBA is a big commitment and takes a great amount of discipline. Julius models the PCA values and portrait of a graduate perfectly, and all of the world can see it in him.