NBL news: Adelaide 36ers import Craig Randall ‘doesn’t care’ what critics think amid selfish claims
Adelaide 36ers import guard Craig Randall has hit back at claims he is a bad teammate, saying he will have the last laugh at the end of the season.
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Adelaide import guard Craig Randall II thinks assertions he is bad culturally for the 36ers are “funny”, declaring he feels no extra weight on his shoulders because he “doesn’t care” what the critics think.
Randall’s stance comes amid accusations he’s disruptive to the team and has rubbed teammates and the coaching staff the wrong way with his selfish attitude, which has been confirmed by multiple sources.
According to the import guard, though, there are no issues with his teammates, and he isn’t sure why he is being painted as a bad teammate.
“I don’t know, and I honestly don’t care,” Randall said.
“I think it’s funny because I know me as a person and a lot of people are making statements and assumptions through what they see.
“They don’t really hear the conversations, they just (comment) on what it might look like.
“But people are going to have opinions, they are going to be critical, but the only criticism I listen to is from my coach.
“As long as he and my teammates are good with me, everybody can say what they want to say.
“We know what is going on in-house, so it is what it is.”
Randall is standing firm despite having his reputation questioned over the weekend following two incidents.
The first came last Friday, when he and 36ers coach CJ Bruton were caught on camera exchanging strong words about the team’s poor first-half performance against New Zealand.
Randall attempted to storm off as Bruton grabbed him on the arm.
The guard also raised eyebrows prior to Sunday’s Phoenix clash for standing alone as his Adelaide teammates sung the national anthem with their arms locked.
Randall slammed the accusations as an attempt to “divide” him from his 36ers teammates, in the wake of Sunday’s loss to the Phoenix.
However, it’s understood the 36ers have been dealing with the guard’s attitude and reluctance to buy into the team-first culture since the pre-season.
This was on show against the Phoenix last round when he had four players guarding him, but instead of passing, he launched up a misguided shot.
I just want to play basketball and have fun. Y'all judging me and trying to paint me as this bad teammate is crazy. I'm different and if y'all can't accept that then cool but don't push the narrative I'm a bad teammate and hard to coach. Do better man
— Dos (@moneyteam1222) October 30, 2022
Adelaide possess a host of offensive threats, however players like guard Mitch McCarron aren’t getting the ball enough.
It’s a delicate predicament for the 36ers given Randall is a standout performer.
The former Long Island Nets star is second in the league for scoring, averaging 22 points a game at an incredibly high efficiency. He is shooting 51 per cent from the field and 39 per cent from three-point range.
All eyes are on Randall every time he takes the court, but he doesn’t feel any extra pressure.
“No, not at all,” he said.
“Only because I don’t win games by myself, and I don’t lose them by myself.
“I know people have a lot to say about me, but I feel the same way every time and my teammates give me open shots.
“It’s just part of what comes with it. Obviously, I have the ball a lot and teams are going to be on me, but there is no pressure on my shoulders.
“It’s just how the game goes.
“The game is going to go on and right now we’re not playing the best, but in February when this all clicks and we’re standing where I think we can stand, I hope everyone has the same energy towards us and me that they have now, and we’ll go from there.”
Randall is determined to put the drama aside and focus on this weekend’s games against Illawarra (Thursday) and Perth (Saturday).
“These next two games are big, and we’ve circled them,” he said.
“Every game is big, but these two are really important just because we’ve lost two in a row.”
ORIGINS OF RANDALL DIVIDE WHISPERS
Adelaide import guard Craig Randall II has been accused of being a bad teammate that is hurting the culture at the 36ers despite his on-court performance.
Randall II’s reputation was questioned over the weekend following two incidents.
The first came last Friday when he and 36ers coach CJ Bruton were caught on camera exchanging strong words about the team’s poor first-half performance against New Zealand.
Randall II attempted to storm off as Bruton grabbed him on the arm.
The guard also raised eyebrows prior to Sunday’s Phoenix clash for standing alone as his Adelaide teammates sung the national anthem with their arms locked.
The moment was noticed by News Corp basketball writer Mick Randall who said, “Every Sixers player had their arms locked during the national anthem except Randall II.”
Randall II slammed the tweet as an attempt to “divide” him from his 36ers teammates, in the wake of Sunday’s loss to the Phoenix.
After the final buzzer he claimed he wasn’t aware the anthem was going to be played or that his teammates would be linking arms during it.
“Do something else besides trying to divide me from my team!!” said Randall II, who excelled in the loss to the Phoenix, scoring 28 points including 5-from-9 from beyond the arc.
“I didn’t even know we were doing that. First game we played the Australian anthem. You definitely just looking to create a bad narrative of someone once again for some likes. BE BETTER AT YOUR JOB.”
Randall II also hit out at 36ers fans on Twitter, who urged the import to change his attitude.
“You don’t even know me to tell me to change my attitude?,” he tweeted.
“I don’t play basketball for fans approval and I’m not changing for anybody.”
I just want to play basketball and have fun. Y'all judging me and trying to paint me as this bad teammate is crazy. I'm different and if y'all can't accept that then cool but don't push the narrative I'm a bad teammate and hard to coach. Do better man
— Dos (@moneyteam1222) October 30, 2022
In a follow up tweet, Randall II also said, “I just want to play basketball and have fun. Y’all (sic) judging me and trying to paint me as this bad teammate is crazy. I’m different and if y’all (sic) can’t accept that then cool, but don’t push the narrative I’m a bad teammate and hard to coach.”
However, sources have revealed that Randall II’s competitive nature and attitude has rubbed teammates the wrong way, prompting claims that he isn’t a good fit culturally despite his immense talent.
Coach Bruton has set a strong precedent with the guard behind the scenes dating back to the pre-season.
He knows Randall II is gifted, but he won’t cop any behaviour that compromises the team’s culture.
The reigning G League Most Improved Player is second in the league for scoring, averaging 22 points a game at an incredibly high efficiency. He is shooting 51 per cent from the field and 39 per cent from three-point range.
NBL legend Shane Heal rates Randall II highly, but has questioned whether he understands what a successful environment looks like based off recent comments he made about his junior days.
The former Long Island Nets guard recently told NBL Media: I didn’t win a lot growing up. “I got so tough and really passionate about basketball because I couldn’t win.”
Every Sixers player had their arms locked during the national anthem except Randall II. pic.twitter.com/kgzty2PnzK
— Michael Randall (@MickRandallHS) October 30, 2022
Heal believes this quote says a lot about Randall II.
“I think when you look at his habits, his attitude and behaviours and key cultural aspects, he hasn’t been around people that are winners who have the right habits, and he needs to learn that,” Heal said on this week’s episode of the Basketball Show.
“There was a photo of him disengaged from his teammates during the national anthem and he had a crack that people are trying to create a discontent with him and his teammates and saying he is a bad teammate.
“That (photo) on his own doesn’t make him a bad teammate, but when you see his reactions in time-outs and arguing and being so emotional with everything he does, he sucks so much energy out of that group.
“Coaches and teammates always have to cater to him, and I think for him to evolve as a player, he needs to learn how to be a good teammate for him to get back to the NBA because he is an NBA talent.
“It’s hard because he is an incredible talent and shooter. He could win a game off his own bat.”
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SWEET RITUAL: SIXERS IMPORT’S QUIRKY PRE-GAME MUST-HAVE
—Michael Randall
Craig Randall II’s first game for the Adelaide 36ers raised a few eyebrows across the NBL.
The gun scoring machine missed 15 of his 17 shots and went 1-13 from deep in a pre-season clash against Perth.
But there might have been a simple answer to his early struggles – he didn’t get his Swedish Fish.
The fish-shaped chewy candy is a popular sweet in the US, but scarce in Australia and he was always going to be up against it when shopping in the WA town of Eaton.
Randall II says it was more than that – he was dusting off the rust in his first foray into the league.
But he says he eats the sweet before every contest as part of his pre-game ritual. The Sixers now take no chances, making sure there’s an abundant supply available on game day.
“I eat two bags before every game, I always have. I’ve been doing this since I was really young,” Randall II told News Corp.
“But it’s not a superstition for me, it’s part of my routine, so I just stick to my routine.
“I could probably go through five bags in a day if I wanted to – that’s not good for my teeth, but I eat them a lot.”
So how does one end up with Swedish Fish as their favourite food?
It dates back to a five-year-old Randall II on basketball camp with his dad and a much-loved coach.
“I would stay at camp and my brothers would participate in camp and I would be too young to do it, so I would always be at the concession stand and my dad’s college coach would always tell me to eat whatever I wanted, and that’s one of the things I would always take,” he said.
“I’ve eaten them ever since.”
Since that underwhelming first game, the 26-year-old flamethrower has lit up the NBL, leading the league in scoring at 23.33 points per game and impressing in the US.
Back-to-back 30-point performances as the Sixers made history against the Phoenix Suns and took on Oklahoma City had as many as 10 NBA teams on the phone.
But Randall II says he’ll only listen to serious offers from teams who truly believe he can help them win – he’s focused on being an Adelaide 36er.
“I tell my agents I’m not really interested in hearing about it,” Randall said.
“They know that if it’s something that’s worth us listening to and really taking serious, then we’ll talk about it.
“The NBA is always the goal but I like my situation. I play for a really good coach, I have a really good team. I’m trying to help win a championship and bring winning back to this club.
“Mentally, some people can get caught up in (the NBA dream) and be so focused on trying to get there and forget what you’re doing. I just don’t want to do that and be ungrateful and take for granted where I’m at.
“The NBA stuff, it will take care of itself.”
The Sixers host New Zealand Friday night and Randall II is wary — his side is still building its identity at the defensive end.
“A lot of people might not think it but they’re a really good team,” he said.
“They’ve got great imports, they have guys who can shoot, guys who can guard, so it’s going to be a fun and exciting game.”
“Our offence will take care of itself, but if we don’t guard for four quarters they’re one of those teams that can beat you bad.
“We’re trying to become a defensive team first. We’re going to score, we’ve got guys who can put the ball in the basket, so getting stops is our main focus.”
Phoenix flies into Wildcats cauldron
New South East Melbourne import Alan Williams has been worded up by his teammates about how intimidating the crowd can get in Perth.
But he says the full-strength Phoenix, fresh off back-to-back wins, will flourish on Friday night against the Wildcats in the RAC Arena cauldron.
“It’s a long trip but we’ve got a good group of vets that let us know it’s a pretty hostile place to play,” Williams said.
“I think we’ll thrive in that.
“We’re looking forward to the opportunity to go out and play against one of the better teams in the league.”
The Phoenix crawled out of the blocks, losing three of their first four games, but have since squared their ledger with wins over New Zealand and Brisbane.
Coach Simon Mitchell will have all 11 of his charges to call upon in Perth, with import Trey Kell shaking off a cork and star forward Mitch Creek, who is managing a painful issue with his plantar fascia, getting some practice reps in on Wednesday.
“It’s just a management issue with Mitch,” Mitchell said.
“It’s not the initial issue that kept him out over the pre-season (ankle), it’s something that’s come because of that injury.
“He’s OK, we’re managing him, it’s keeping him fresh.”
After some pre-season foul woes, former NBA big man Williams has taken to Melbourne and the NBL, like a duck to water, equal-fourth in the league with 7.5 rebounds per game.
“In my career, pre-seasons have always been called a little bit tighter (by referees), so typically during the season, the referees and the players both adjust and that’s kind of what’s happened now,” Williams said in reference to fouling out several times in pre-season.
“I’ve found my comfort level with the physicality and I’m taking advantage of it.
“I try to be as best as I can possibly be, they knew what they were getting when they got me and I just try to live up to my name.”
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