Julius Randle and his wife.
Kendra Randle is firing back at a former player taking issue with her husband.

Kendra Randle took aim at former NBA forward Kenyon Martin’s now-viral statements after the two-time All-Star and the Knicks were eliminated by the Heat in the second round of the playoffs on Friday night. Martin shared an unusual perspective on Randle’s decision to instantly celebrate with his wife following New York’s Game 5 victory over Miami on a recent episode of Gilbert Arenas’ show Gil’s Arena.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 03: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks gives his wife, Kendra Randle, a kiss after his team defeated the Miami Heat at Miami-Dade Arena on March 03, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
“We just got done playing a hard-fought game in a playoff series and the first thing you do is go kiss your wife. That’s the first thing you do? Where is your mind at,” asked Martin.

The criticism from Martin eventually made its way to Kendra Randle, who took to Twitter and fired back at Martin.

“Both of us grew up in single-parent homes. We never saw our dads respect our mothers,” Randle said in a tweet. “I’m so grateful my kids get to grow up watching their dad be the best father and husband.”
In a subsequent tweet, Randle added how the love of a father for his family, should never be the focus of postgame talk.
“By the way that game was after a win. He would never be in the mood to kiss or even talk after a loss lol. But talk about real issues. Not a husband and father loving his family,” she wrote.

Martin further explained that he even informed his own wife that there was no way he would have sought her out in the crowd just moments after the buzzer sounded.
“I am sitting there watching the game with my wife and I said to her, I love you to death, but ain’t no way in that instant…” he said. “I mean I am going to be with my guys because we just got done winning and I am not even thinking about you.”

Randle, a two-time All-Star and an All-NBA Third Team selection this past season, scored just 15 points on 3-for-14 shooting, a stat line that included a paltry 1 of 7 from 3-point range.

His lack of production and several other players doomed them to a 96-92 loss to end their playoff run despite the heroics and individual brilliance of Jalen Brunson, who scored 41 points to force a close game.

Randle signed a four-year, $117 million deal to join the Knicks in 2019. While he is good in the regular season, Randle tends to disappear in the playoffs.

In two rounds of playoff basketball, Randle averaged only 16.6 points and 8.3 rebounds on 37.4 percent shooting.