Last week marked the first All-Star appearance of Julius Randle’s career at the ripe old age of 26. But is it any surprise it took Randle this long to get there, considering the significant development hurdles that stood in his way throughout the years?

Julius Randle has already won over our hearts and minds with his ascent to NBA All-Star this year. But in a league that’s constantly looking towards the next big thing, what could be the next step in Randle’s development? The most popular play in basketball might hold the answer.

The midrange shot is generally derided in the modern NBA, but Julius Randle has built an All-Star campaign on the back of that very shot, placing himself in the company of some of the best midrange assassins in the game while buoying the Knicks’ offense. Benjy Ritholz breaks down the nuts and bolts of Julius’ midrange come-up.

The Knicks lost to the Warriors last night, but you should’ve seen that coming. If you didn’t, step into Prof. Miranda’s classroom for a lesson. Here’s the syllabus.