MINNEAPOLIS — Julius Randle felt confident as soon as he released the ball from his hands, believing that his last-second 3-pointer would secure a victory.
With the score tied at 117 and only 2.1 seconds remaining in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns, Minnesota, who had rallied from a 16-point deficit, advanced the ball down the court after a timeout.
Veteran player Joe Ingles entered the game primarily to execute an inbounds play. He successfully located Randle at the top of the three-point arc, allowing Randle to make his move. After taking two dribbles and evading defender Josh Okogie, Randle stepped back and released a shot from beyond the arc.
As the buzzer sounded just after Randle let the ball go, the crowd at Target Center erupted with joy as the shot swished through the net. His teammates rushed to celebrate this exhilarating moment on the court.
“The most enjoyable part was seeing how my teammates celebrated,” Randle shared. “We have a great bond and always support each other’s achievements. That was, for me, the most rewarding aspect of the moment.”
Randle’s impressive 35-point performance marked his highest scoring game since he was traded to the Timberwolves in a deal that saw Karl-Anthony Towns head to the Knicks and brought Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota.
Adding to the significance of the moment for Randle was the presence of both his sons at the game. While his older son typically attends many games, his younger son, who usually avoids them, was in attendance alongside nearly 19,000 other fans.
“I think this is probably the second game he’s ever attended. He’s not a fan of them,” Randle commented about his 3-year-old son. “So, for him to witness me hit that shot was really special.”
