Kendra Randle, wife of former New York Knicks star Julius Randle, has spoken openly about the emotional and logistical whirlwind that followed her husband’s trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Speaking to local media shortly after the trade was announced, Kendra gave an intimate look at what it’s like for a family to navigate the challenges of an NBA trade for the first time in over a decade.
“I’ll tell you what it’s like to be traded for the first time by an NBA team. For those of you who don’t know, my husband played for the New York Knicks, we were there for five seasons, and about 72 hours ago we got traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, two days before he retired.”
“So the last 72 hours have been crazy, to say the least. This is actually the first time we’ve been traded in 11 seasons, which is pretty good for the NBA, so we’ve been really lucky. But the timing is not the best because our son has already started school.”
“We have two boys, they’re seven and two, and our seven-year-old had already started second grade.”
“So the day after the exchange, my husband and I immediately flew out here to Minnesota because we have to find a house, schools for our kids, get settled and organize everything because as soon as the exchange is finalized he’ll start training and training camp with the team right away.”
“In the meantime, our stuff is getting packed up in New York and our kids are finishing up their last week of school and I’m here trying to find a house and schools for them to come to and all our stuff to go to. So it’s pretty hectic.”
“I’m really grateful that it’s not actually in the middle of the season, like before the trade deadline or whatever, but it’s been pretty crazy for our first time and unexpected. And I’m not going to lie, when we heard Minnesota, it was pretty shocking, even though we were so ready to leave New York.”
“Living in a condo with two kids is so hard. I don’t care what people say, it’s been a great experience, but we were already thinking about moving out of the city. It was getting so hard and overwhelming for us because my husband is from Texas and I’m from Kentucky and that’s not how we grew up.”
“But when we heard about Minnesota, it was kind of shocking. But when we got here, we were driving around and I was like, these neighborhoods are amazing. We love it. It’s so beautiful. The people are so nice. There’s so many great restaurants. It’s just things that you wouldn’t know. I know it’s cold, but it’s cold in New York.”
“And I heard they make the most of the snow here. So we’re really excited for a new, a new chapter for our family. That being said, the hardest part by far was telling our seven-year-old that he had to leave school and leave his friends. Um, that was the hardest conversation and honestly, the hardest part for Julius and I as well, leaving that community, school is incredible.”
“The parents, the kids, um, it’s so sad. It’s been so sad all week and everyone’s so sad that he’s leaving. Um, that’s the really hard part of the MBA and the family aspect, you know, it hits all the kids, the whole family, and they have to uproot their lives, you know, as adults, we can deal with it and move on.”
“But for the kids, it’s really hard. So this is the first time we’re getting to understand it and experience it. So I really have nothing to complain about. I’m just super grateful for this new chapter for our family.”