Michigan State Legend Reveals the Secret to His Greatness

There aren’t many more likeable players in Michigan State Spartans history than Zach Randolph.

Randolph played 17 seasons in the NBA, spending time with the Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings.

Of course, Randolph is most known for his eight-year tenure with the Grizzlies, where he was the driving force behind Memphis’ “Grit and Grind” era.

From a physical standpoint, Randolph was largely unimpressive. He was an undersized center at 6-foot-8, and he had very limited athleticism.

However, he managed to register 16.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game throughout his NBA career and averaged double-doubles nine times.

So, how was the rather rotund Randolph so great at crashing the glass in spite of his less than stellar athletic abilities?

He explained why during a recent episode of the “Out the Mud” podcast.

“You know what? Really just having a knack for the ball and having that heart,”
Randolph said. “Beating that man to the spot. Really, I’m gonna outmuscle you for this rebound.”

Randolph was one of the best rebounders in the league during his day, topping out at 12.2 points a night during the 2010-11 campaign with the Grizzlies.

“We’re going to battle, and I like contact, so I’m hitting first,” Randolph said. “A lot of guys, they don’t like to hit first, but in the UFC, the guys who hit first always win. And that’s what I did. I had a knack for the ball to get those offensive rebounds.”

The Michigan State product specialized in offensive rebounding, as he logged over four offensive boards per game three times in his NBA tenure.

Randolph spent just one season at East Lansing before declaring for the NBA Draft in 2001. That year, he posted 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 58.7 percent from the floor.

He was selected by the Trail Blazers with the 19th overall pick and earned a pair of All-Star selections throughout his time in the pros, with both of those selections coming in Memphis.

Randolph was never able to advance to an NBA Finals, but there is no doubt that he was one of the game’s best big men during his heyday.

Outside of Magic Johnson and Draymond Green, not many Spartans were more successful NBA players than Z-Bo.

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