Kendrick Le'Dale "Perk" Perkins (born November 10, 1984) is an American former professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player who is a sports analyst for
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
. He entered the NBA
directly out of high school and played for the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
,
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
,
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
, and
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
, winning the NBA Championship in
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
with the Celtics.
Early life
Perkins was born in
Nederland, Texas and raised by his grandparents, who lived on a farm. His mother died when he turned five, and his father played professional basketball in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
— where he stayed throughout — and never visited Perkins. Perkins went to a private
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
school starting in sixth grade. Perkins' grandfather was very enthusiastic about sports, helping spark his competitive passion. In addition to basketball, Perkins also participated in pick-up football games as a defensive end, and baseball as a first baseman. Perkins stopped playing baseball in ninth grade, and gave up on football in tenth grade.
Perkins first met
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest pl ...
in the seventh grade when playing on the Houston Hoops and competing against Lebron's Ohio Shooting Stars. Perkins later became friends with Lebron during his time at
ABCD Camp where they were teammates on the
Oakland Soldiers. During his time on the AAU circuit beginning in eighth grade, Kendrick Perkins was ranked No. 3, LeBron at No. 1, and
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985), nicknamed "CP3" and “The Point God”, is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Paul is widely regarded as one o ...
at No. 2. Perkins had his largest growth spurt from eighth grade to ninth grade, where he went from to , his current height. Perkins' first in-game dunk was in the seventh grade.
High school career
Perkins graduated from
Clifton J. Ozen High School
Clifton J. Ozen High School was a fine arts and technology magnet high school in the city of Beaumont, Texas. It was operated by the Beaumont Independent School District and was created during the 1997–1998 school year as part of a new student as ...
in
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat, seat of government of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur, Texas, Port Arthur Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, metropo ...
, in 2003. He led Ozen High to four consecutive district championships and one state championship during his high school career. Averaging 27.5 points, 16.4 rebounds and 7.8 blocked shots a game as a senior, he led Ozen to a 33–1 record, with the only loss being a 66–54 setback to Fort Worth Dunbar in the state 4A championship game. After his senior season in 2003, Perkins was selected to the
McDonald's All-American Game
The McDonald's All-American Game is the all-star basketball game played each year for American and Canadian boys' and girls' high school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the concl ...
.
Considered a five-star recruit by
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
, Perkins was listed as the No. 3 center and the No. 6 player in the nation in 2003. He had originally committed to
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, but opted instead to make the jump to the
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
straight out of high school.
Professional career
Boston Celtics (2003–2011)
![Perk Media Day](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Perk_Media_Day.png)
The
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
was drafted in the first round with the 27th pick of the
2003 NBA draft
The 2003 NBA draft was held on June 26, 2003, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The NBA announced that 41 college and high school players and a record 31 international players had filed as early-entry candidates ...
by the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
, but was immediately traded along with
Marcus Banks
Arthur Lemarcus "Marcus" Banks III (born November 19, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player.
Banks is tall and . He played college basketball at the UNLV with the UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball, Runnin' Rebels, where he was ...
to the Boston Celtics in exchange for
Troy Bell
Troy Delvon Bell (born November 10, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other leagues mostly in Europe. He is also a R&B producer. He was an All-American college player at ...
and
Dahntay Jones
Dahntay Lavall Jones (born December 27, 1980) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for th ...
, who had been selected by the Celtics in the same draft.
During the
2004–05 season, Perkins received more playing time than he did his rookie season, and became known as one of the tougher players on the Celtics. He had a limited role during the regular season and
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
as the team's "enforcer". Perkins was involved in an unusual scenario in the final seconds of regulation in Game 6 of the 2005 Eastern Conference first round against
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
.
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce (born October 13, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), predominantly with the Boston Celtics. He was most recently an analyst on ESPN ...
was ejected but Pierce was owed free throws because he had been fouled before the ejection. Under NBA rules, Indiana coach
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle ( ; born October 27, 1959) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has previously served as head coach of the Detroi ...
chose to select Perkins (who had not played in the game) off the bench to shoot the crucial
free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the Key (basketball), restricted ...
s (the game was tied). Perkins missed both, indirectly leading the game going into overtime, in which the Celtics eventually won.
After marked improvements during summer training and practice, Perkins earned more playing time from coach
Doc Rivers
Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers (born October 13, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
After playing for Marquette Universit ...
during the 2005–06 season. He played some of the best games of his career in 2006, repeatedly reaching double figures in points and rebounds. After the trade of
Mark Blount
Mark D. Blount ( ; born November 30, 1975) is an American retired professional basketball center with four teams in the National Basketball Association between 2000 and 2009.
Career
Blount spent his freshman year of high school in Summerville, ...
to the
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
, Perkins became the undisputed starting
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
for the Celtics, although he was already sharing starting time before Blount's departure. He started at center for the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics.
In Game 6 of the
2010 NBA Finals
The 2010 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2009–10 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers ...
, Perkins injured his knee and missed the rest of the game. He was inactive for Game 7, in which the Celtics fell to the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
. According to the ''Los Angeles Times'', he suffered torn
MCL
The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3) ...
and
PCL ligaments in his right knee.
Perkins did not return to the floor until January 25, 2011, when he logged 17 minutes off of the bench netting seven points, six rebounds and three assists in a win against the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
. He received a standing ovation upon entering the game in the first quarter. After coming off the bench for his first 5 games back, Perkins returned to the starting line-up Friday, February 4 in a home loss to the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
. He logged his first double-double of the season with 13 points, 12 rebounds and one blocked shot while shooting 6-for-7 from the field in 33 minutes.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2011–2015)
2010–11 season
On February 24, 2011, Perkins and
Nate Robinson
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson (born May 31, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. Born in Seattle, Robinson played college basketball for the University of Washington in Seattle and was the 21st pick in the 2005 NBA draft. ...
were traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for
Jeff Green and
Nenad Krstić
Nenad Krstić ( sr-cyr, Ненад Крстић, born July 25, 1983) is a Serbian basketball executive and former professional player. He currently serves as the vice president of the Basketball Federation of Serbia, in charge of the men's basket ...
. On March 1, he signed a multi-year extension with the Thunder. Perkins suffered a left knee sprain injury, which prevented him from debuting with the Thunder until March 14, 2011. On March 14, 2011, Perkins debuted with the Oklahoma City Thunder, getting six points, nine rebounds, and two assists during 20 minutes of play in a 116–89 win against the
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...
. On March 20, 2011, Perkins got a season-high four assists, along with five points, 12 rebounds, and a steal, in a 95–93 loss to the
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...
. On March 25, 2011, Perkins got 13 points, five rebounds, one assist, three steals, and one block while going 6 for 6 from the field in a 111–103 win over the
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
. On March 30, 2011, Perkins got 13 points again, along with three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in a 116–98 win over the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
. On April 6, 2011, Perkins grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds, while getting five points and one block in a 112–108 win over the
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
. 10 of his 17 rebounds were offensive boards. According to ESPN, after grabbing 17 rebounds, Perkins said, "We've got goals at hand. When you have bigger goals, you tend to reach smaller goals. I guess that was a good thing to see the guys not comfortable. Our guys want to go a little further than just being division champs."
The Thunder finished the season with 55 wins, clinching the fourth seed in the
Western Conference. They went on versus the Denver Nuggets in the First Round of the
2011 NBA playoffs. On April 17, 2011, during Game 1 of the First Round, Perkins got four points, five rebounds, and one block in a 107–103 win against the
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
. With just over a minute to go, Perkins scored a bucket to help the Thunder take the lead. This was later figured out as an offensive goaltending call. On April 27, 2011, Perkins got a near double-double, getting 13 points, nine rebounds and one assist during Game 5 of the First Round in a 100–97 win over the Denver Nuggets. On May 7, 2011, during Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Perkins grabbed 13 rebounds, while also getting six points, one assist, and one steal in a 101–93 overtime loss against the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
. He helped the Thunder get to the Western Conference Finals, but the team got eliminated in five games against the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
. Perkins averaged 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game in the playoffs.
2011–12 season
The
2011–12 NBA season was shortened due to the
collective bargaining agreement
A collective agreement, collective labour agreement (CLA) or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a written contract negotiated through collective bargaining for employees by one or more trade unions with the management of a company (or with an ...
resulting in a lockout. During the
2011 NBA lockout, Perkins lost more than 30 pounds. On December 25, 2011, Perkins started the lockout-shortened season getting six points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block while also going 2 of 2 from the field in a 97–89 win against the
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...
. Perkins made it on the
2012 NBA All-Star ballot, placing 6th out of the centers in the Western Conference. He got 66,380 votes. On February 10, 2012, Perkins got his first double-double of the season, getting 10 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and one block in a 101–87 win against the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
. On February 14, 2012, Perkins tied his career high with six assists, as well as getting seven rebounds, one steal, one block, and one point in a 111–85 win against the Utah Jazz.
On February 20, 2012, Perkins got five points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and a season-high six blocks in a 101–93 win against the
New Orleans Hornets
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
. On March 5, 2012, Perkins grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds, while also getting seven points, one assist, one steal, and one block in a 95–91 win against the Dallas Mavericks. On March 18, 2012, Perkins got six points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a career-high tying three steals in a 111–95 win against the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
. On March 25, 2012, Perkins scored a season-high 16 points, while also getting six rebounds, two assists, and one steal in a 103–87 win against the
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...
. On April 13, 2012, Perkins got his second double-double of the season, getting 11 points and 11 rebounds in a 115–89 win over the
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
.
The Thunder finished the season with 47 wins, first in the
Northwest Division, and the 2nd seed in the West. To start the
2012 NBA Playoffs, they faced the Dallas Mavericks in the First Round. During Game 2 of the First Round, Perkins scored 13 points, six rebounds, and a block in a 102–99 win against the Mavericks. The team ended up sweeping the Mavericks in four games. They then played the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
in the Conference Semifinals. On May 18, 2012, during Game 3 of the Conference Semifinals, Perkins had six points, two rebounds, one assist, one steal, and four blocks in a 99–96 loss against the Lakers. The Thunder ended up defeating the Lakers in five games. They moved on to the Conference Finals where they faced the
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...
. On June 2, 2012, during Game 4 of the Conference Finals, Perkins scored 15 points, while getting nine rebounds, one assist, and one block in a 109–103 win against the Spurs. The team defeated the Spurs in six games. Perkins and the Thunder reached the
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
where they played the
Big 3–led Miami Heat. On June 17, 2012, during Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Perkins got his first and only double-double of the playoffs, getting 10 points, 12 rebounds, and a block in a 91–85 loss against the Heat. The Thunder couldn't get past the Heat, as they were eliminated in five games. This was Perkins's third trip to the NBA Finals. The other two trips were with the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
back in
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
and
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
. Perkins averaged 4.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in the playoffs.
2012–13 season
Perkins began the
2012–13 NBA season
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
getting two points, six rebounds, two assists, and a block in an 86–84 loss against the Spurs. On November 9, 2012, Perkins dished a career-high tying six assists, and also had nine points, four rebounds, and a steal in a 105–94 win against the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
. On February 8, 2013, Perkins scored a season-high 17 points, along with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks in a 127–96 win against the Phoenix Suns. According to
The Oklahoman
''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circulation) lists it as the 59th larges ...
, Perkins said this in response to his performance: "I'm just going to keep working. Guys are doubling
Kevin (Durant) and
Russ
Russ is a masculine given name, often a short form of Russell, and also a surname.
People Given name or nickname
* Russ Abbot (born 1947), British musician, comedian and actor
* Russ Adams (born 1980), American retired baseball player
* Russ ...
now, so I'm just trying to find the open spot. I've been watching a lot of film and going to the gym and working on my game. I'm just trying to find an open spot when they get doubled." On February 10, 2013, Perkins had a career-high tying three steals, as well as four rebounds, two assists, and three blocks in a 97–69 win against the Suns. On March 20, 2013 Perkins grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds, and also had an assist in a 90–89 overtime loss against the Memphis Grizzlies.
In the
2013 NBA playoffs, the Thunder defeated the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
in the First Round, but were defeated by the Grizzlies in the Conference Semifinals. During Game 1 of the Conference Semifinals, Perkins had seven rebounds and three assists in a 93–91 win. Perkins averaged 2.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs.
2013–14 season
To start the
2013–14 NBA season, Perkins had four points, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal in a 101–98 win against the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
. On December 13, 2013, Perkins dished a season-high four assists, and also had six points and three rebounds in a 122–97 win against the Lakers. On January 5, 2014, Perkins scored a season-high 12 points, and also had six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in a 119–96 win against his former team, the Boston Celtics. On January 17, 2014, Perkins grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds, and also had six points, two assists and two steals in a 127–121 win against the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
. On February 5, 2014, Perkins tied his season-high, getting 12 rebounds, six points, two assists, and one steal in a 106–97 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the
2014 NBA playoffs, the Thunder defeated the Grizzlies in the First Round, then the Clippers in the Conference Semifinals, but got eliminated by the Spurs in the Conference Finals. During Game 2 of the Conference Semifinals, Perkins had eight points and nine rebounds in a 112–101 win. During Game 4 of the Conference Finals, Perkins had 10 rebounds, two points, two blocks, and one steal in a 105–92 win. Perkins averaged 3.2 points and 5.4 rebounds throughout the playoffs.
2014–15 season
During the
2014–15 NBA season, Perkins was playing bench minutes, as
Steven Adams replaced him. During the season opener, Perkins had four points, eight rebounds, one steal and one block in a 106–89 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers. On November 1, 2014, Perkins scored a season-high 17 points, while also getting five rebounds in a 102–91 win against the Denver Nuggets. On December 14, 2014, Perkins grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds, as well as five points, one assist, one steal, and one block in a 112–88 win against the Phoenix Suns.
On February 19, 2015, Perkins was traded to the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
in a three-team trade that also involved the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
.
He was subsequently waived by the Jazz two days later.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2015)
On February 24, 2015, Perkins signed with the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
and made his debut later that day as he scored two points in two minutes off the bench in a 102–93 win over the Detroit Pistons. The Cavaliers made it to the
2015 NBA Finals, but they lost to the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
in six games.
New Orleans Pelicans (2015–2016)
On July 28, 2015, Perkins signed with the
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
. He made his debut for the Pelicans in the team's season opening loss to the Golden State Warriors on October 27. In just under 16 minutes of action as a starter, he recorded 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting and 4 rebounds. On November 6, he was ruled out for three months with a right pectoral injury. He returned to the Pelicans' line-up on December 11, but did not play against the Washington Wizards.
Canton Charge (2017–2018)
On September 25, 2017, Perkins signed with the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
, returning to the franchise for a second stint. On October 14, 2017, he was waived by the Cavaliers after appearing in three preseason games. He subsequently joined the Cleveland's
NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...
affiliate, the
Canton Charge
The Cleveland Charge are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Cleveland, Ohio, and are affiliated with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team plays its home games at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland.
The fr ...
. On February 9, 2018, he opted to retire from the NBA G League.
Return to Cleveland (2018)
On April 11, 2018, Perkins returned to the Cavaliers, signing a contract for the remainder of the season. That same day ended up being Perkins' first and only game that he played for Cleveland, as Cleveland would lose 98 - 110 to the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
with Perkins recording 3 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound and 1 steal.
The Cavaliers made it to the
2018 NBA Finals, where they lost 4–0 to the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
, but Perkins was labeled as "Did Not Play" and "Inactive" throughout the entire playoffs. Perkins was waived by the Cavaliers on July 17, 2018.
Broadcasting career
Following his retirement, Perkins became an on-air sports commentator and analyst for
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
and
NBC Sports Boston
NBC Sports Boston is an American regional sports network owned by the NBC Sports Group unit of NBCUniversal, and operates as an affiliate of NBC Sports Regional Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional sports events thr ...
including on ESPN television sports talk shows ''
NBA Today'', ''
Get Up
Get or GET may refer to:
* Get (animal), the offspring of an animal
* Get (divorce document), in Jewish religious law
* GET (HTTP), a type of HTTP request
* "Get" (song), by the Groggers
* Georgia Time, used in the Republic of Georgia
* Get AS, a ...
'', ''
First Take'', and ''
SportsCenter
''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...
''.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 10 , , 0 , , 3.5 , , .533 , , .000 , , .667 , , 1.4 , , .3 , , .0 , , .2 , , 2.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 60 , , 3 , , 9.1 , , .471 , , .000 , , .638 , , 2.9 , , .4 , , .2 , , .6 , , 2.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 68 , , 40 , , 19.6 , , .515 , , .000 , , .615 , , 5.9 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 1.5 , , 5.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 72 , , 53 , , 21.9 , , .491 , , .000 , , .600 , , 5.2 , , 1.3 , , .3 , , 1.3 , , 4.5
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", †
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 78 , , 78 , , 24.5 , , .615 , , .000 , , .623 , , 6.1 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , 1.5 , , 6.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 76 , , 76 , , 29.6 , , .577 , , .000 , , .600 , , 8.1 , , 1.3 , , .3 , , 2.0 , , 8.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, , 78 , , 78 , , 27.6 , , .602 , , .000 , , .582 , , 7.6 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 1.7 , , 10.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 12 , , 7 , , 26.1 , , .542 , , .000 , , .575 , , 8.1 , , .8 , , .2 , , .8 , , 7.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 17 , , 17 , , 25.2 , , .493 , , .000 , , .531 , , 7.9 , , .9 , , .4 , , .9 , , 5.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 65 , , 65 , , 26.8 , , .489 , , .000 , , .652 , , 6.6 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 1.1 , , 5.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 78 , , 78 , , 25.1 , , .457 , , .000 , , .611 , , 6.0 , , 1.4 , , .6 , , 1.1 , , 4.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 62 , , 62 , , 19.5 , , .451 , , .000 , , .552 , , 4.9 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , .5 , , 3.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 51 , , 3 , , 19.2 , , .441 , , .000 , , .507 , , 5.5 , , .8 , , .3 , , .7 , , 4.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, 17 , , 0 , , 9.8 , , .488 , , .000 , , .500 , , 2.4 , , .5 , , .1 , , .2 , , 2.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
, 37 , , 5 , , 14.6 , , .533 , , .000 , , .440 , , 3.5 , , .8 , , .3 , , .3 , , 2.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, 1 , , 0 , , 15.0 , , .500 , , .000 , , .500 , , 1.0 , , 2.0 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 3.0
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 782 , , 565 , , 21.9 , , .530 , , .000 , , .594 , , 5.8 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 1.2 , , 5.4
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 6 , , 0 , , 4.7 , , .800 , , .000 , , .333 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .5 , , 1.5
, -
, style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
†
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 25 , , 25 , , 25.2 , , .585 , , .000 , , .678 , , 6.1 , , .5 , , .6 , , 1.3 , , 6.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 14 , , 14 , , 36.6 , , .575 , , .000 , , .667 , , 11.0 , , 1.4 , , .4 , , 2.6 , , 11.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 23 , , 23 , , 25.0 , , .510 , , .000 , , .600 , , 6.2 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 1.4 , , 5.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 17 , , 17 , , 28.2 , , .453 , , .000 , , .576 , , 6.1 , , .8 , , .2 , , .8 , , 4.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 20 , , 20 , , 25.9 , , .416 , , .000 , , .800 , , 6.2 , , .7 , , .4 , , 1.3 , , 4.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 11 , , 11 , , 19.1 , , .270 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 3.7 , , .6 , , .7 , , .5 , , 2.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, 19 , , 19 , , 20.2 , , .533 , , .000 , , .800 , , 5.4 , , .7 , , .2 , , .3 , , 3.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, 8 , , 0 , , 4.1 , , .250 , , .000 , , .600 , , 1.1 , , .0 , , .0 , , .4 , , 1.3
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 143 , , 129 , , 23.6 , , .502 , , .000 , , .662 , , 5.9 , , .7 , , .4 , , 1.1 , , 5.1
Personal life
Perkins is a practicing
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.
[Getting to know Kendrick Perkins]
He was an
altar boy
An altar server is a laity, lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian liturgy. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell, helps bring up the gifts, brings up t ...
in his youth, though it was often problematic to find an
alb
The alb (from the Latin ''albus'', meaning ''white''), one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed and Congregational churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ank ...
to fit him due to his height.
His son was born on September 10, 2007. On July 25, 2009, Perkins married his longtime girlfriend, Vanity Alpough. His second son was born on October 10, 2011. His twin son and daughter were born on October 20, 2015.
Perkins' cousin,
Ethan Rusbatch
Ethan Rusbatch (born 24 May 1992) is a New Zealand basketball player for the Franklin Bulls of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He began his New Zealand NBL career in 2012 with the Southland Sharks after spending one season ...
, is a New Zealander who plays in the
New Zealand NBL.
On October 10, 2013, Perkins posted a $1,000 bond on a
misdemeanor assault
An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...
charge. He allegedly punched a man and a woman after a dispute following a
traffic accident.
Perkins facing assault charges for allegedly punching a woman
/ref>
References
External links
USA Today: Kendrick Perkins learns basketball from Scott Brooks
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, Kendrick
1984 births
Living people
21st-century American journalists
African-American basketball players
African-American Catholics
African-American sports journalists
African-American television personalities
American men's basketball players
Basketball players from Texas
Boston Celtics players
Canton Charge players
Catholics from Texas
Centers (basketball)
Cleveland Cavaliers players
Disney people
ESPN people
McDonald's High School All-Americans
Memphis Grizzlies draft picks
National Basketball Association high school draftees
New Orleans Pelicans players
Oklahoma City Thunder players
Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)
People from Nederland, Texas
Sportspeople from Beaumont, Texas