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Randle regrets gesture: Support of Knicks fans 'means the world to us'

Nathaniel S. Butler / National Basketball Association / Getty

Warning: Story contains coarse language

Star forward Julius Randle wrote an open letter to New York Knicks supporters Friday expressing his regret for his thumbs-down gesture - which he explained postgame was a way of telling fans to "shut the fuck up" - during Thursday's 108-105 win over the Boston Celtics.

"I understand that my actions also represent the league, this organization, and the city, and that I should have handled things last night differently and expressed myself with more professionalism and more appropriate language in the heat of the moment," Randle wrote in an Instagram post. "My comment was an example of how sometimes you say things you regret to people you love, even if it came from a place of passion and deep love."

The 27-year-old's gesture came after a chorus of boos from the hometown faithful when the Knicks were trailing by as many as 25 points.

Randle - whose scoring has dropped from 24.1 points per game during last year's breakout All-NBA campaign to 19.6 so far in 2021-22 - offered a more conciliatory tone Friday.

"My family and I love how the fans and New Yorkers have embraced and accepted us and have made us feel great about our decision to commit long term with the team this past summer," he wrote. "This support means the world to us."

Randle concluded by vowing "to continue to show loyalty and dedication" to his teammates, organization, and Knicks fans.

The Knicks are currently 19-20 this season. They'll have a chance to get back to .500 with a road win against the same Celtics squad in Boston on Saturday.

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