Kendrick Perkins has been a big man throughout his career. Entering the league with a listed weight of 270 lbs in 2003, Perkins was a center who struggled with several injuries throughout his career. Ever since he retired, he embraced the nickname ‘Big Perk’ and made his name as an NBA Analyst for ESPN.
Now, years after his retirement, and having gained over 130 lbs since his NBA draft, Perkins revealed that he got a brutal reality check when he visited the doctor this summer.
On the Road Trippin podcast with Channing Frye, Kendrick Perkins revealed that the doctor told him this summer that he has Type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition where the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not use the insulin it produces due to high sugar levels in the blood.
“I’m glowing a little bit. I’ve been on this ‘Get Perk Right’ like thing for the last four or five weeks, right? And getting myself together. I went to the doctor, had a checkup, long season.”
“I go to the doctor and the doctor’s like, “Oh, you know, they pinch your finger and then they put it in this thing or whatever.” And he’s like, ‘Your sugar is like 300.”
“You have type 2 diabetes. And he’s like, ‘Oh, and by the way, the route that you’re going, you’re taking like 5 to 10 years off your life.’ And I’m like, “Huh?”
“I got on the scale. I was 406 pounds. I was like, “What the f**k?” And it scared the s*** out of me. But I was like, “You know what? Let me stop the bull***.”
“I started getting on my walks. I walked a mile and a half in the morning, this was the first week. A mile and a half in the evening. I cut the carbs out, the sugars out, nothing but water. I went to one of those juice bars or whatever it is, a restaurant. I load it up. So, I got like five juices I drink.”
“I’m down 22 lbs. And I got about 90 more to go. You know what I mean? Cuz I’m trying to get to 280, but I’m on it. I’m on it. I took it seriously. Now, Ozempic helped. I got to take that for both. You know, I’m a diabetic, so I have to take that.”
“So, you know, my next doctor visit is tomorrow. To be honest with y’all, it’s tomorrow. So, I’m excited about going in there to see, you know what I’m saying, the progress.”
“But it hit me for real, though. And once he said like, “Hey, you’re on the verge of taking five to 10 years off your life.” I was like, “Oh, okay. Yeah, I’m done f***ing around.” So, no more Dr. Peppers. No more, you know, Strawberry Fantas, none of that sh**.
“Yeah, I’m here for real. I’m serious. I went to Mo’s Potatoes out here. I got one, and I couldn’t even eat it. But I went and got it for my family, but I couldn’t even eat it. I was like, I can’t do it. And it was my cheat day, but it’s no cheat days because I got so much ground to make up.”
Perkins won his only NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008, but he argued his injury in 2010 cost them a second championship. Through this reality check, Perkins aims to get back to the same fitness level at which he was when he was drafted to the league. I hope he wins this battle against his cravings for the betterment of his health.
