Kendrick Perkins may have just delivered the wildest take of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, and that’s saying something. During a recent episode of NBA Countdown, Perkins confidently declared that he could have locked down reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, saying:
“Jokic wouldn’t have wanted this smoke. Kobe said I was the best post defender in the league.”
The internet did not take long to erupt.
NBA fans wasted no time labeling Perkins as delusional. Responses ranged from humorous disbelief to outright ridicule. “Jokic would drop 70 and 30 on Perk” wrote one fan on X, while another quipped, “He lied on Kobe’s name so crazy.”
One of the most viral reactions read, “Take the mic from this n***a.”
Perhaps the most cutting roast? “Kendrick Perkins couldn’t slow down stars from the bench.”
Perkins has always been a lightning rod for hot takes, but this one seems to have truly crossed the line of reality. Nikola Jokic is not only in the midst of his best individual campaign, but he’s putting up numbers that rival the greatest seasons in NBA history.
The Denver Nuggets star is currently averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game on an absurd 57.6% shooting from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. He’s essentially a 7-foot point guard with the strength of a center and the mind of a chess grandmaster.
Statistically, Jokic became the first player in NBA history to finish top three in points, rebounds, assists, and steals in a single season. No other player even cracked the top ten in all four. The idea that Perkins, who averaged 5.4 points and 5.8 rebounds across his career, would somehow have neutralized Jokic is laughable at best.
This isn’t to say Perkins didn’t have value as a role player in his prime. He was a solid enforcer and brought toughness to the paint, particularly during his Boston Celtics days.
But the notion that he could slow down the most versatile offensive big man the league has ever seen is pure fantasy. Even elite defenders today like Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo have been humbled by Jokic’s combination of vision, touch, and footwork.
And yet, Perkins decided to elevate his claim by invoking the late Kobe Bryant, saying Kobe once called him “the best post defender in the league.” Whether or not that’s true is impossible to verify, but fans were quick to reject the anecdote entirely.
“He lied on Kobe’s name so casually,” one comment said. Others suggested the statement was simply an attempt to stay relevant in the ever-crowded world of sports commentary.
Meanwhile, Jokic isn’t engaging in any of the chatter. He’s busy preparing for the biggest game of his season: Game 7 against MVP rival Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line and the Timberwolves waiting, Jokic will be looking to silence any remaining doubters the only way he knows how, by dominating.
And if Kendrick Perkins really thinks Jokic wouldn’t want “that smoke,” he may want to double-check the firepower Jokic brings. Because if anyone’s getting cooked in that matchup, it’s not Nikola.
