Demetria Caldwell, left, was with Immanuel Quickley and other family members on draft night when New York made him a first-round draft pick.
If you thought getting his mother and grandmother both new Range Rovers for Mother’s Day made former UK basketball standout Immanuel Quickley special, guess what he did just a week later for his aunt, Demetria Caldwell — he got her a new Range Rover as well. The New York Knicks rookie could count on his aunt being at just about every UK game he played during his two years at Kentucky. She had no idea his surprise gift was coming, either.
“We did a family Zoom call. I opened a gift Immanuel had mailed to my brother Shawn for me while Manny was on the zoom. Then he said, ‘Aunt Mechie go outside. I was like Me … no way!'” she said.
“The new shoes he just brought me I couldn’t even put on. I was in a happy state of disbelief. I finally got the other shoe on but forgot to put on the other sock. So I literally had one sock on all day.”
When she got outside, she was shocked.
“I saw that perfect blue car with a big red bow on it! I felt 16 again with keys to my own car,” Caldwell said. “I literally drove my brother to his house, my Dad to my parent’s house and picked up my friend to come over to my house. I even drove to the store to get some additional juice for the in-house seafood party.”
Caldwell has had as much fun watching the Knicks play this year as she did when her nephew was at UK — where he was SEC player of the year his sophomore season.
“We have had fun attending the Knicks games and following all protocols. So I’ve missed a few games here,” she said. “Never missed any UK home game that Immanuel played in. When I look back I can’t even believe it. That 8.5-hour ride (from Maryland to Kentucky) felt easy and now the 2.5-hour ride to New York feels the same.”
Now it will seem even easier with a new Range Rover to use.
