Former New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has spoken candidly about the mental health struggles he endured during his final season in New York.
Randle admitted that a combination of injuries, the Knicks’ playoff success without him, and what he described as “toxic narratives” surrounding his absence pushed him into a dark period of depression, one that led him to self-medicate with marijuana.
Randle’s 2023–24 campaign was cut short by a shoulder injury that required surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. As the Knicks surged through the playoffs without him, Randle said he felt increasingly isolated and consumed by frustration.
“At the end of that time, I was kind of at my darkest moment,” Randle recalled in an interview with The Athletic. “Just miserable, like in a way where I just was not having fun going to work every single day. I would just be in there watching TV in a dark room. I didn’t even want to show my face. I kind of just wanted to be left alone and, like, in hiding. Just very frustrated and angry and all those different emotions. It just wasn’t a good place to be in.”
Randle admitted that during this period, he turned to marijuana as a way to cope with the depression and anxiety he was experiencing. However, he later sought therapy and began to address his mental health more directly, a decision he credits with helping him find stability and regain joy in his career.
Now with the Minnesota Timberwolves following a trade, Randle says he feels supported and valued in a way that has helped him move forward.
“This is the happiest I’ve been in a really long time,” he said, reflecting on his new chapter.
Randle’s openness adds to a growing list of athletes who have spoken publicly about the mental health challenges that come with the pressures of professional sports. His story underscores the importance of addressing mental well-being with the same seriousness as physical injuries.
