Welcome to Los Angeles Julius Randle!

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With the seventh pick of the NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers have chosen Julius Randle, the talented Kentucky power forward who has had a great freshman season under coach John Calipari. Randle had 24 double-doubles in the season, the second most in division one college basketball under Micheal Beasley's 28.

I was really looking at this pick given the fact that I am a huge Laker fan and there was just so many prospects that the storied franchise could have gone with. There was a lot of talk surrounding players like Marcus Smart and obviously Joel Embiid but Randle is clearly a pick that many thought would have gone fourth or fifth so nevertheless, the Lakers have done solidly.

Randle is not the most athletic of the bunch but he is an aggressive big man standing in at 6'9'' and weighing in at 250 lbs. With his size, he is able to do some damage in the paint but at the same time, he also has a decent jump shot that will clearly develop as he moves forward in the league.

Not to go too far but I think that Randle's game can be comparable to that of Memphis' Zach Randolph. Randolph also stands in at 6'9'' and only weighs about ten pounds more than Randle. Both players are very versatile as they can both take their defenders off the dribble, pound it into the paint, or sink solid mid-range jumpers. Not to mention, both forwards are clearly double-double machines.

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Photo Courtesy of Danny Johnston-AP Photo

 However the attribute that Randle possesses that makes him a standout is his known will to win and with that drive at such a young age, he is clearly a solid pick for a purple and gold team that is hungry to get back into playoff shape. Randle's competitiveness is impeccable and because of that, he has even garnered the praise and approval of Kobe Bryant, who we all know is unafraid to speak his mind.

Randle is already eager to seek the advice of Bryant and become that team player that is necessary to win. Unlike Dwight Howard, I think that Randle is a player who looks for more than just playing the game; he understands that one must have a certain mindset and concentration in order to continue to compete and perform at a high level. During an interview with Lakers Nation during his pre-draft work out, Randle was asked what he looks forward to asking Bryant if he were to actually become his teammate. Randle said that he has always been a fan of Kobe and that he is excited to "pick [Bryant's] brain" because he wants to get into that same mindset and focus that the five-time NBA champion gets into.

Lastly, the young man is bold. In numerous interviews, Randle has made it clear that he is unafraid to express his confidence. He believes that he is one of the best forwards of the draft class and even had a message for the teams that had went on to draft others prior to calling his name.

"The teams that passed on me will regret it," Randle said to ESPN's Jay Williams after the Lakers had drafted him.

Randle is confident that he is the perfect fit for the Lakers and he really has the talent to prove it. I am hoping that he can bring some sort of moment to the team. He has proven himself on the collegiate level and now only time can tell if the Kentucky All-Star can make a name for himself in the NBA.