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Reading: Kendrick Perkins On Making The Finals With Thunder: “I Never Took It For Granted.”
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Home > NBA News & Analysis > Kendrick Perkins On Making The Finals With Thunder: “I Never Took It For Granted.”

Kendrick Perkins On Making The Finals With Thunder: “I Never Took It For Granted.”

Nico Martinez
May 28, 2022
2 Min Read
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Credit: Thunderous Intentions

While Kendrick Perkins has made a name for himself at ESPN, his origins trace back to the NBA, when he was a big man for several different franchises.

During his playing days, he had his best stretch as a member of the OKC Thunder. In 2013, big Perk helped Oklahoma City secure the top seed in the West right before making a run to the Finals.

Speaking on NBA Today, Perkins looked back on his tenure in OKC:

“I never took it for granted. Making it to the Finals, people don’t realize it’s a big accomplishment in itself. And when you’re dealing with a lot of young players on a team, a lot of young players that wanna achieve individual things, individual goals, a lot of young players that wanna get a big bag. That’s what separated that Oklahoma City Thunder team. James Harden wanted to be a franchise guy. James Harden wanted his own team. James Harden wanted all his letters. So when you have a team like that it’s hard to build a dynasty because you can’t knock a person for wanting to get $200+ million here instead of settling for $80 million here…”

It’s easy to forget how good the 2012 Thunder were. They had a young Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka. They finished 2nd in the West that year with a 47-19 record.

While Perk didn’t play a huge role for that team, he’s not losing sight of all the hard work and dedication his team had to endure along the way.

Of course, the Thunder lost the 2012 Finals, and they never got back during the Durant era.

But making the Finals even once is no easy task and Kendrick Perkins knows more than anyone to appreciate that milestone.

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ByNico Martinez
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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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