STAPLES CENTER FALLS graveyard silent and still, a sellout crowd staring at the rookie beneath the basket, surrounded by medical personnel. His eyes are wet with tears. His head coach tells him to stay strong. It's Oct. 28, 2014, the Lakers' regular-season opener and the NBA debut for Julius Randle, a 6-foot-9 forward and the Lakers' first first-round pick in seven years, a foundation of their post-Kobe Bryant future.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the 19-year-old had driven to the hoop, leaped ... and collapsed. Now, seconds stretch into eternity before his right leg is stabilized in an air cast and teammates load him onto a stretcher, which disappears into a tunnel.