Timberwolves' power forward has finally emerged as a playoff force to complement superstar Anthony Edwards. 'I had a great mentor in Kobe Bryant,' he says.

After Randle averaged 25.2 points per game in the Wolves' five-game series victory over the Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green issued the NBA a warning about Randle, who was a catalyst to the Wolves' postseason success so far.

Fast forward a few months, and Minnesota is headed back to the conference finals in no small part because of Randle, who continued the best stretch of basketball of his postseason -- and probably professional -- life with 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting on Wednesday as the Wolves eliminated the Warriors in five games.