Coach says Randle has a ‘Dennis Rodman mentality’ for rebounding

Collecting rebounds has been Julius Randle’s constant this season for the Lakers.

And in many ways, Randle has made it a simple chore: See the ball. Go get the ball.

He went and got 14 rebounds against Golden State on Sunday to go along with 12 points, his 27th double-double of the season.

“I have a pretty good sense on the offensive glass and the defensive glass where the ball is going to go,” the former University of Kentucky star said. “My main thing is I’ve just got to hit my man and once I get him out of play, I can just go get it. I can use my speed and my agility to go get the ball.”

The way Randle has scooped up rebounds has reminded Lakers Coach Byron Scott of an old-time rebounding phenom.

“He’s got a Dennis Rodman mentality,” Scott said about Rodman, who led the NBA in rebounding seven consecutive seasons. “When the ball goes up there, he just has that mind-set of, especially defensively, that it’s his. So for the most part, if the ball comes in his area, it is his.”

It’s really a stretch to say Randle is his listed height of 6 feet 9, leaving him smallish for a power forward.

He has small hands, doesn’t really have long arms and has some bounce to get off the floor, but it’s not like Randle is some super leaper.

“When he steps on the floor, if you play him 25 minutes or more, it’s a double-double,” Scott said. “I think 90 percent of the time, it’s a double-double. He’s that good as far as rebounding the ball.”

This story was originally published March 7, 2016 at 4:07 PM with the headline "Coach says Randle has a ‘Dennis Rodman mentality’ for rebounding."