After a 15-year long career, where he won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics, Kendrick Perkins retired in 2018. Since then, he has gone on to find success as an NBA analyst. Most recently, Perkins solidified his relationship with ESPN, becoming their go-to analyst with playing experience. Perkins has made strides since his earlier days as an analyst, as he brings a different perspective to the analysis of the NBA. At the same time, he has a natural charisma that makes for entertaining viewing.
Perkins is most often on ESPN shows such as First Take and The Jump. And he has become a staple on both shows when it comes to discussing basketball. A lot of fans disagree with what Perkins has to say, and he welcomes that. He was a veteran in the NBA, and has experience playing in the days of greater physicality and then in the more recent showboating era of the NBA.
But despite his growth over the last few years, Perkins is not perfect, as was seen at the 2021 NBA Draft. Perkins was part of ESPN’s coverage team for the draft and found himself in the middle of a flustered moment. When the Golden State Warriors selected Moses Moody with the number 14 pick in the Draft, Perkins was trying to explain how big the moment would be for the young man. However, Perkins got stuck and wasn’t able to say Moody’s name out loud, stumbling over the pronunciation and the order of his name. A fellow broadcaster helped him out with the name, and Perkins moved on to make his point. But for fans at home, it was a lighthearted moment filled with humor.
“Moody Moody, Moody, Moody, Moses, Moddy”
Regardless of the blunder, Perkins is a valuable addition to the NBA Draft coverage team. Perkins comes from arguably the greatest NBA Draft classes of all time in 2003. So he will know very well what the experience of having your name called at the podium is like. And he shared his experiences of that during the coverage.
