Julius Randle: 'My foot is fine'

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Kentucky forward Julius Randle downplayed reports that his right foot might require surgery after this month's draft, stressing that his foot is fine and he's pain-free.

After going through an individual workout for the Boston Celtics on Friday, Randle said no team or doctor has told him that he would require surgery to replace a pin that was inserted after breaking the foot in high school.

"My foot is fine," Randle said. "Everybody has their opinion on what they should do. But I'm pain-free. No pain before, during or after. I'm fine."

Added Randle: "[Surgery has] never been considered. I've met with my own doctor and talked to specialists, some of the best doctors in the world, and they said they wouldn't do anything with it."

Randle didn't close the door on the possibility of surgery should the team that drafted him ask him to undergo a procedure, but he stressed that it was likely a short timeline for recovery (though he'd miss summer league) and stressed that there's no long-term concerns with the injury.

"It won't be an issue," Randle said.

Several team executives told ESPN.com on Thursday that the 6-foot-9 Kentucky forward's broken right foot hasn't healed correctly -- and sources confirmed a Yahoo! Sports report that Randle may need surgery after the June 26 NBA draft.

"This is an issue," one executive told ESPN.com. "It didn't heal right."

Randle refuted the report, writing on Twitter on Thursday: "I never do this but it was brought to me and it's crazy how people put stories out there and have no clue what they are talking about. No disrespect but check with the actual source next time before you put something like that out there."

Asked why he felt the need to take to Twitter to respond, Randle noted: "I felt the need to defend myself. I don't usually have to do stuff like that. But when I feel like people are saying stuff, and I know that it's not true, or when I know that the story is kinda mixed up a bit ... I felt like there was a little confusion and a little unnecessary confusion."

Randle's mom, Carolyn Kyles, called the report "a lie," according to The Courier-Journal.

"Everything with Julius is fine," Kyles told The Courier-Journal. "There is no surgery scheduled whatsoever. Nothing. They don't have a clue. They haven't spoken to us. They haven't spoken to Julius' doctor. I know for a fact, because he is my son, there is no surgery scheduled, period, now or after."

Randle smiled when asked about how his mother leaped to his defense.

"My mom is my biggest supporter," Randle said. "She's been there since day one. She's always going to have my back. I'm sure you guys have kids, and if someone says something about your kid, you're going to want to kill that person. That's how my mom is, she takes it to the extreme for sure, which I wouldn't have it any other way. I love her to death."

Randle suffered the broken right foot in the second game of his senior season at Prestonwood Christian Academy in Texas, and a screw was inserted into the foot. Multiple sources told ESPN that there are questions about whether it could become a factor down the road.

Randle, who averaged 15 points and 10.4 rebounds while playing all 40 games for Kentucky as a freshman, is considered a lock lottery pick. However, the injury could affect his draft stock.

ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman contributed to this report.