Timberwolves' Julius Randle Calls `90s Knicks Great "Ahead Of His Time"

Minnesota Timberwolves star Julius Randle is in the middle of a tough series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Still, he took time out recently to shout out New York Knicks legend Anthony Mason.

Randle, who played for the Knicks, said Mason played a role in revolutionizing the power forward position.

"Shout out to Mase, he was ahead of his time," Randle said.

"Really, really, great player." After Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen created the point forward position as the three, Mason was next in line at the four.

He held the role during five seasons with the New York Knicks.

He played the role of facilitator alongside being an enforcer in the frontcourt with Charles Oakley.

EWING MAKES CASE FOR MVP IN 1990 There are two milestones Patrick Ewing failed to reach during his Hall of Fame career in the NBA.

In 17 seasons as one of the NBAs greatest centers, Ewing did not win a championship or a Most Valuable Player award.

Michael Jordan had a lot to do with Ewing not winning a championship, but Ewing believes he should have been an MVP at least in 1989-90, regarded as his best season.

When I was in college, I wasnt known as a scorer, Ewing told former New York Knicks teammate Mark Jackso n during a recent appearance on the Sports Bio Corner podcast.

I was more of a defender, a shot-blocker, catching lobs.

The 1990 Patrick Ewing? I should have been MVP.

There were no double-teams back then.

Everything was free-flowing.

They couldnt stop me.

Ewing was 27 during the 1989-90 season, his fifth in the NBA.

He had emerged into a major offensive threat for the Knicks, averaging a career-high 28.6 points and shooting 59 percent.

Ewing also shot 77 percent at the free-throw line.

The Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals but lost to Detroit in five games.

Ewings performance that year was a major factor in the Knicks success, but he finished fourth in MVP voting.

Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson was voted MVP in 1990.

Ewing was an MVP candidate eight times but never finished higher than fourth in balloting.

In the three other seasons Ewing finished fourth in MVP voting, he lost out to Johnson (1989), Charles Barkley (1993) and David Robinson (1995).

Ewing believes the 1989-90 season was his best chance to win an MVP award.

He compared his skills and numbers to MVP centers Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jokic is a three-time MVP (2021, 2022 and 2024).

Embiid won MVP in 2023.

MORE BACK IN THE DAY HOOPS COVERAGE Michael Jordan's ex-teammate explains why he was blackballed from the NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar blasts Donald Trump Tim Hardaway still sore about Chris Webber leaving Golden State Follow our coverage on Facebook for more conversation on Julius Randle and Anthony Mason.

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