BORN: 18/11/1999
LAST TEAM: St. Poelten (AUT)
HEIGHT: 193 cm
WEIGHT: 77 kg
PRO
- Slasher ability
- Valid scorer
- Athleticism
WEAKNESSES
- Shooting range
- Physicality
- Selection shots
VIDEO
ACTUAL
POTENTIAL
INTRODUCTION
M.J. Randolph has completed four seasons at Florida A&M, showing constant improvement, and in his senior year, he was honored to be named player of the year for the SWAC. He finished in the top 50 scorers for the season, but he did not receive a call from the G-League draft. His professional career begins in Ireland in December 2022, and in his first game, he scores 33 points in a victory.
PHYSICAL
M.J. Randolph has a slender and lanky body, but he possesses a noteworthy first step and explosiveness, as well as long arms that are very useful in defense, earning him a spot in the 2021 MEAC starting lineup. He struggles with physical contact, and despite having good acrobatic skills, attacking the rim all the way is not easy with his frame.
OFFENSIVE PHASE
M.J. Randolph’s scoring abilities have grown over the years in Florida, particularly refining a mid-range jumper that allows him to avoid too much contact. While his strength lies in his first step, the most evident limitation is the lack of a three-point shot: 22.3% over the four years with never more than one and a half attempts per game. He has good handling skills and can also act off the ball, utilizing his agility to attack the direct opponent. While not excelling in defensive reads, he shows potential in pick’n’roll situations and is not a poor passer (3.5 assists last year). However, it’s worth noting his tendency to try to do too much on his own, resulting in a high number of turnovers (3.4), effectively rendering the assist/turnover ratio almost negligible.
DEFENSIVE PHASE
M.J. Randolph has good dedication, and thanks to an adequate wingspan combined with quick hands, he averaged two steals per game at his college in the last season. A notable athlete, he applies significant pressure on his direct opponent and is valuable in rebounding, where he captures a considerable number for a player in his position. He struggles with mismatches against heavier players, situations in which he needs to be protected.
IMPROVED AREAS
M.J. Randolph has evident limitations to try to pursue a mid-level career in Europe: long-range shooting, where he is too hesitant to even take on the responsibility of attempting, and increasing muscle mass to withstand the physical and contact-based nature of the game. It would be interesting to see him in a context of greater competitiveness to understand if the attitude of being polarizing in attack remains.