An injury can't stop Julius Randle from making an impact in New York City.
The New York Knicks' three-time All-Star was named the January winner of the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award on Thursday for his off-the-court charitable efforts.
Randle's special honor was recognized on the floor at Madison Square Garden prior to Thursday's Knick game against the Golden State Warriors, where he was bestowed the David Robinson trophy and a $10,000 check from the NBA that will make its way to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Kids.
“We chose MSK Kids for the charity donation because we wanted to help in any way possible with children’s cancer research in the city,” Randle said in an NBA statement. “With two boys of our own, helping cure childhood diseases is a passion of ours and MSK does incredible research for childhood cancer and diseases.”
MSK Kids is one of several charitable avenues for the metropolitan veteran, who also donates $500 to Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School for every three-pointer he has sunk this season (a tally that currently stands at $38,000). Randle also headlines several youth outreach programs in conjunction with Madison Square Garden and its business partners, ensuring he leaves a lasting impression on New Yorkers far beyond game day.
Randle, working through his fifth season in New York, continues to work off a dislocated shoulder that has kept him off the floor for each of the Knicks' last 14 games. The 29-year-old had rendered a slow start long-forgotten as he was averaging 24 points and 9.2 rebounds at the time of his injury.
Though there is no set timetable for Randle's return, he offered a somewhat encouraging update as the team reconvened after the All-Star break last week.
"I'm just taking it a day at a time, to be honest. Every day I'm getting stronger and better," the Knicks star said in video from SNY. "I'm just trying to stay locked in on what I have to do to continue just to get healthy, not just physically but mentally as well."
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