Kendra Randle, the wife of New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle, credited Coach John Calipari for saving her grandmother’s life.
According to Kendra Randle, Calipari helped orchestrate the transfer of her grandmother to the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital.
4 years ago my grandmother was very sick in a small hospital in eastern KY. Julius called Coach Cal and asked if there was anyone he knew that could get her transferred to UK hospital. 15 mins later she was in a helicopter to UK and I still to this day believe he saved her life.
— Kendra Randle (@KendraRandle_) April 8, 2024
Calipari coached Julius Randle for his lone collegiate season at Kentucky, and they reached the national title game together before losing to the University of Connecticut and star guard Shabazz Napier.
Late on Sunday night, it was reported that Calipari would be leaving Kentucky to take the head coaching job at the University of Arkansas.
Sources: John Calipari is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next coach at Arkansas. The deal is expected to be completed in the next 24 hours.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 8, 2024
Still, Kendra Randle continued to show her appreciation and love for Calipari for his time as the Wildcats’ head coach in another post on social media.
The impact and excitement you brought Kentucky as a whole will never be forgotten💙 but our family specially will never forget that. Just a small example of how much he loves his players truly. We love you coach! 💙
— Kendra Randle (@KendraRandle_) April 8, 2024
According to FOX’s John Fanta, Calipari “had bad feelings” about his situation at Kentucky after the team lost in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament to the No. 14-seeded Oakland University Golden Grizzlies.
Sources close to John Calipari say he had bad feelings about his situation at Kentucky, and that the lack of support had grown to the point where he didn’t feel like he could stay on because he didn’t feel wanted. The assets Arkansas put in place convinced him to make this move.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) April 8, 2024
While Calipari led the Wildcats to a national title back in the 2011-12 season, he has not had as much tournament success in recent seasons.
Kentucky has not advanced out of the second round of the NCAA Tournament since the 2018-19 season, and the team has two terrible first-round losses to higher seeds in the last three seasons.
Not only did the Wildcats lose to Oakland this season, but Calipari’s squad was upset by the St. Peter’s University Peacocks (a No. 15 seed at the time) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the 2021-22 season.
Still, Calipari was instrumental in helping players like Julius Randle, Anthony Davis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo and several others reach the NBA after playing at Kentucky in college.
Julius Randle has thrived in recent seasons in his professional career, making two All-NBA teams and three All-Star teams since he signed with the Knicks. Unfortunately, the Knicks forward is out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season due to a shoulder injury.
Calipari will look to revive his coaching career at Arkansas, but there’s no doubt that he made a major impact on his players and their families during his time at Kentucky.
