First US high school with an all-basketball curriculum names court after Knicks' Julius Randle

NEW YORK (AP) — The court at the nation's first high school with a curriculum designed around a career in basketball will be named for New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle.

The announcement was made Wednesday at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new, 69,000-square-foot building in the Bronx that will house the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School.

Founded in 2021, the tuition-free charter school offers instruction in areas such as sports media, law, medicine and facilities management. Its first class will graduate in 2025.

Randle has been a supporter of the school through his “30 for 3” campaign, where he donates $500 for each 3-pointer he makes. He made 76 last season for $38,000.

That contribution could have been much higher, but Randle sustained a season-ending dislocated shoulder during a Jan. 27 victory over Miami, just days before he was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the third time in his five seasons in New York.

Randle had surgery in April. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Wednesday he thinks Randle is healthy as the team prepares to report to training camp on Monday.

Thibodeau took part in the ceremony along with Knicks Hall of Famers Monroe and Walt Frazier, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and others. After Randle spoke, he was told that the school's basketball teams would play on the Julius Randle All-Star Court.

Randle's contributions have helped raise more than $1.3 million for the school, which was created by filmmaker Dan Klores and had former NBA Commissioner David Stern, who died in 2020, as its first trustee.

Thibodeau praised Randle for remaining available to the students.

“When you see that commitment and his support and his involvement, that’s what makes it special,” Thibodeau said.

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Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press