Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins both had long and fruitful careers in the NBA, both winning NBA titles as important pieces on champion teams. The two retired during the 2010s and have since formed quite the successful partnership on ESPN as talking heads. Perkins and Jefferson play well off of one another, often making jokes in good humor for the entertainment of the audience.
The two were on commentary during the NBA’s Celebrity All-Star Game as All-Star weekend got underway on Friday night in Cleveland. And while generally having a good time discussing everything that was happening in and around the game, Jefferson took a hilarious shot at Perkins that had the big man himself guffawing during the broadcast.
Kendrick Perkins: “First of all, I wouldn’t be playing (in these games).
Host: “Wait, so RJ says he hasn’t played since he retired. When was the last time you played?”
Richard Jefferson: “About two years before he retired.”
This exchange drew laughs from everyone present and no one laughed as loud as Perkins himself. While it was mostly a joke from Jefferson, there is some truth to what he had to say. Perkins played a total of just 55 games during his last 3 seasons in the league, a shockingly low total. He averaged just around 2.5 points during that time and had become quite ineffective on the court.
Jefferson himself played just 20 games in his last season in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, but he was going strong with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the two seasons before that. He was a key contributor for the Cavs team that won the city’s first title by beating the 73-win Warriors in 2016. While these jokes among former players are what make NBA personalities so fun to watch, it’s just that bit funnier when there is some semblance of fact to them.
