Julius Randle Already Serving as Nets' Leader in Preseason

The Brooklyn Nets have gotten off to a promising start in the 2026 NBA Preseason, picking up two victories against the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers.

The latter spoiled the debut of LeBron James and Philly's star-studded starting five on Thursday, with Brooklyn winning 114-108 despite key pieces being sidelined.

Five different Nets scored in double-digits, with veteran forward Julius Randle leading the way with 14 points.

But, it was his leadership and hustle plays which stood out to head coach Jordi Fernández.

"3-time All-Star, has been in the playoffs multiple times, and he’s the first one to dive on the floor and pickup full court," Fernández said. "I couldn't ask for a better leader or a better vet… We need that. That’s contagious."

Early in the third quarter, Randle saved a loose ball just in front of the Nets' bench, diving on the floor to keep it in play.

But, the play didn't stop there, with Randle hustling back on offense and being rewarded with a dunk on the other end.

For a player who has accomplished what Randle has, diving on the floor shows that he is serious about wanting to overachieve with his new squad.

Despite most projections placing the Nets within the basement of the reloaded Eastern Conference, Randle has talked about wanting to shock the NBA world.

At Brooklyn's recent media day, Randle was asked about his former squad, the New York Knicks, winning the title this past season, to which he responded "It was a great thing not just for them, for the city...We plan to do the same thing here."

While an NBA title remains a far-fetched goal for this Nets team, having championship work ethic and culture is within reach.

For Randle, who has played in a lot of big postseason games, but is yet to reach the finals, he is hoping to help Brooklyn get back to contendership.

As training camp kicks off, Randle credited the Nets for the structure and intensity thus far.

"I'm in my 13th year in the league, and this is the training camp that ranks up there," Randle said. "How we do things, the attention to detail, the communication within drills. And when we get to the live action, how we're competing, how we're talking, guys diving on the floor, offensive rebound, all those different things, little things that help us win games."

This type of intensity is extremely positive to see so early into training camp, especially with the admitted lack of focus by some players towards the end of last season.

Randle showing such a high level of competitiveness and energy in just the second game of the preseason is extremely encouraging and will set an example for the other players on the roster.