BIO: Craig Randall II was born in Youngstown, Ohio (USA). He began his high school career at Girard High School, averaging 23.4 points per game as a sophomore. For his junior season he transferred to Medina High School. Randall averaged 20.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game for a team that finished 19–7 and appeared in the Copley Division I district title game.

Randall again moved schools prior to his senior season, enrolling at Shadow Mountain High School after his father found a new job. There he played former NBA great, head coach Mike Bibby, and had his best game against Copper Canyon High School, scoring a season-high 36 points.

Randall averaged 21.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game and led the team to a 23–7 record while earning PrepHoopsArizona.com Division II Player of the Year honours. Randall was rated a three-star recruit and committed to playing college basketball for Memphis.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Craig Randall II made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 26 years of age. He scored 18 points in his first game.

After finishing seventh with a 10-18 record during CJ Bruton’s first season as coach, Adelaide entered NBL23 after finally giving Bruton a full offseason to prepare a roster which had struggled with injuries and cohesion. Captain Mitch McCarron, Daniel Johnson, Sunday Dech, Hyrum Harris and Kai Sotto returned, while Isaac Humphries (to Melbourne), Mojave King (to G League Ignite), Todd Withers (to Rytas Vilnius), Cameron Bairstow (retired), Dusty Hannahs (free agent), Tad Dufelmeier Jr (free agent) and Emmanuel Malou (free agent) departed. Anthony Drmic (via Brisbane), Antonius Cleveland (via Illawarra), Robert Franks (via Brisbane), Kyrin Galloway (via New Zealand), Deng Acuoth (via Knox) and Craig Randall II (via Long Island Nets) joined the group.

Randall II signed a one-year deal with Adelaide in August after winning the NBA G League’s Most Improved Player award with Long Island and helping Portland win the 2022 NBA Summer League championship. “Craig has a great skillset and is a big guard, something we were definitely looking for in that space,” Bruton said.

Randall II announced himself during Adelaide’s NBLxNBA trip, making nine three-pointers and finishing with 35 points as the 36ers became the first NBL team to defeat an NBA opponent with a 134-124 victory against the Phoenix Suns. Franks (32 points and 7 rebounds) and Cleveland (22 points) helped Adelaide make 24 three-pointers, while Payne (23 points) led Phoenix.

The United States trip ended against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where Randall II (27 points and 8 assists), Franks (20 points and 7 rebounds) and Cleveland (19 points) led Adelaide, while Mann (26 points) carried Oklahoma City to a 131-98 win.

Adelaide opened its regular season against Tasmania at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on October 13, where Randall II (18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the 36ers. Franks (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Cleveland (10 points and 5 rebounds) provided support, but Tasmania made seven three-pointers during a 32-10 opening quarter and won 97-72 behind Magette (23 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals).

Randall II (20.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3 assists across 6 games) remained Adelaide’s leading scorer, top-scoring in four of his six appearances while making 47.8 per cent of his field-goal attempts, 40 per cent from three and all 12 of his free throws. However, the form which made Adelaide championship favourites after its victory over Phoenix did not translate into consistent NBL success.

Randall II’s best all-round game came against defending champion Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on October 21, where he made six three-pointers and finished with 24 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal. Johnson (17 points and 8 rebounds) and Cleveland (15 points and 7 rebounds) helped all five Adelaide starters score in double figures, while Walton Jr (23 points and 6 assists) led Sydney before McCarron made a game-saving defensive play and secured a 92-88 victory.

The relationship between Randall II and the 36ers began to deteriorate during the opening month. He was regularly seen questioning substitutions and arguing with Bruton and teammates during games, with footage showing several heated exchanges during timeouts. The problems had reportedly started during the preseason and continued during Adelaide’s 99-70 loss to New Zealand on October 28, where Randall II (11 points and 1 steal) was restricted to 20:49. Sotto (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Cleveland (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) led Adelaide, while Brantley (22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 1 block) helped New Zealand force 18 turnovers.

Reports also raised concerns over Randall II’s body language and conduct around the team, with claims of a reluctance to train, physical clashes at training and heated incidents in the dressing room. As public scrutiny increased, Randall II rejected claims he was difficult to coach or a bad teammate, stating, “I just want to play basketball and have fun.”

Bruton moved Randall II to the bench against Perth at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on November 5. Sources claimed Randall II became particularly incensed when told of the decision during the team’s shootaround, with Bruton later confirming that he did not like or agree with the benching. Randall II (13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) struggled with his shooting, while Franks (24 points and 9 rebounds) and Cleveland (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Adelaide. Manek (25 points) helped Perth close the game with a 14-0 run and win 94-89 in front of a record Adelaide Entertainment Centre crowd of 9,071.

Three days later, Adelaide and Randall II agreed to part ways by mutual consent after only six regular-season appearances. Reports indicated the decision stemmed from his deteriorating relationships with Bruton and several teammates, the repeated on-court disagreements, training concerns and his reaction to being moved to the bench. Randall II departed (to Iowa Wolves), while development player Nick Marshall was elevated to Adelaide’s 11-man roster. The 36ers entered the FIBA break with a 3-4 record.

Adelaide later signed Ian Clark (via Sydney) when the team sat at 6-8, hoping Clark (12.2 points and 3.1 assists across 10 games) could replace some of the scoring and ball-handling lost following Randall II’s departure and help the 36ers claim one of the final Play-In positions ahead of Melbourne, Perth and South East Melbourne.

Franks (17.7 points and 6.5 rebounds across 28 games) led Adelaide in scoring and rebounding, while Cleveland (15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals across 28 games) won his second consecutive NBL Best Defensive Player award and the club’s Mark Davis Trophy. Johnson (11.1 points and 5.3 rebounds across 27 games) recorded his lowest scoring average in almost a decade, while Drmic (10.3 points and 3.4 rebounds across 25 games), McCarron (7.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals across 26 games), Dech (7.3 points across 28 games) and Sotto (6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds across 27 games) were Adelaide’s other main contributors.

Adelaide entered its final game still capable of reaching the Play-In tournament and faced Melbourne at John Cain Arena on February 5. Cleveland (30 points and 6 rebounds) and Dech (20 points and 4 assists) led the 36ers, while Tucker (31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) carried Melbourne to a 116-107 win as Adelaide suffered its sixth loss from its final eight games. Adelaide finished eighth with a 13-15 record.

Craig Randall II played one season in the NBL. He averaged 20.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3 assists in 6 NBL games.