Craig's long road to Adelaide

New Adelaide 36ers signing Craig Randall II knows all too well to make the most of your opportunities.

Before the start of 2022, Randall II hadn’t played in a basketball game in nearly two years, due to bad timing and the Covid-19 pandemic which swept the world.

The 193cm point guard started his NCAA college career at the University of Memphis and spent his first two years in Memphis before he transferred to Tennessee-Martin by his junior year.

After his last year in college in 2020, Randall II decided to go pro but went undrafted. With the pandemic and its worst, his options were limited.

Randall II declined overseas offers to remain in the US to workout with his brother, Kyle, while waiting for the right opportunity.

“I was just in the gym, hanging out with my nephews, spending time with my family, my girl,” Randall II told hoopshype.com earlier this year.

“Just trying to keep my mind focused, stay out of trouble obviously. I kind of just kept my head down and stayed in the gym.

“That’s really all I did every day. I literally spent every day in the gym.”

Randall II recovered from a college injury in the gym while awaiting his first professional deal, even paying his own way to NBA G-League tryouts.

“I think the Long Island Nets tryout I ended up paying for ($200). I did three tryouts overall. I did Brooklyn, Orlando, and Memphis,” Randall II said.

With several NBA players entering the health and safety protocols during the 2021/22 season, NBA teams started signing G League players to 10-day hardship deals. Then G League teams were also on the lookout for new players and that was Randall II’s foot in the door.

Randall II got his G-League start at the Nets under Australian coach Adam Caporn, and he made an instant impact, averaging 26.7 points, 6.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, becoming their first player to have back-to-back 40-point games and won the league’s Most Improved Player award.

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“I just wanted to play again. Getting to the G League Player of the Week or getting a call-up… obviously, it’s in the back of your head getting a call-up trying to get to the NBA, but all the awards and stuff… I don’t play for that.

“I play because I love the game. The goals I had last season was to show that I belong and have a chance to get called up for Summer League.”

Randall II did get that NBA Summer League call-up and was part of the Portland Trail Blazers’ championship winning roster in Las Vegas last month.

“My goals are still the same, to help my team win as many games as possible, and keep getting better,” he said.

“The dream is to be in the NBA. I try not to look too ahead into the future, I try to stay in the moment, I think that’s the best thing you can do, especially for professional basketball.”

“In five years I could be in the NBA, could still be overseas. Right now, I’m just enjoying this moment.”