NBA fans wasted no time reacting after Kendrick Perkins compared himself to Victor Wembanyama during a segment on NBA Today, and the response online was swift, brutal, and relentless.
Speaking on ESPN, Perkins praised Wembanyama for refusing to be boxed into a traditional role, highlighting the Spurs star’s willingness to shoot threes despite criticism. In explaining that mindset, Perkins took a turn that immediately set social media on fire.
Kendrick Perkins: “Real quick, Victor Wembanyama, he refused to let us put him in a box, right? Like, people were complaining that we want him to go more inside, but he took those three balls yesterday and he’s knocking them down. He’s a prime example of me. While everybody else is going right, I typically go left. And that’s what he does.”
Malika Andrews: “Victor Wembanyama is the prime example of Kendrick Perkins. That is not a sentence I thought I would hear this Friday, but I am oh so happy that I did.”
Kendrick Perkins on Victor Wembanyama “He’s a prime example of me” pic.twitter.com/wR4CM7rgSi
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 6, 2026
Fans, however, were far less amused. The comparison quickly became a punching bag across platforms. Reactions ranged from disbelief to outright mockery, with many questioning how Perkins continues to have such a prominent media role.
“Get him off the air, man.”
“They fired Zach Lowe and kept this man, btw .”
“Its amazing Perk been able to keep a job.”
“What is Brodie smoking on?”
“Does Wemby like all-you-can-eat buffets, too?”
“I am honestly offended on Wemby’s behalf.”
“I think Perkins might be the first basketball player with CTE.”
“Get him off the air, man.”
“Perk been working on his stand-up.”
The backlash was fueled by the stark contrast between the two players’ careers and skill sets. Perkins, a former defensive-minded center, averaged 5.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks for his career while shooting 53.0% from the field.
He attempted 14 three-pointers across his entire NBA career and did not make a single one. His best season came in 2009-10, when he averaged 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. Perkins was never selected to an All-Star team, an All-NBA team, or an All-Defensive team.
Wembanyama’s resume already sits in a completely different universe. The Spurs superstar is averaging 22.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.4 blocks while shooting 47.8% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range.
He already has two All-Star selections, an All-Defensive team honor, and a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up finish. He was widely expected to be an All-NBA selection and DPOY winner last season before a blood clot issue cut his year short.
At seven-foot-four, he stretches the floor, protects the rim at an elite level, and operates as the centerpiece of an offense in ways Perkins never did.
For many fans, that gap made the comparison feel less like a metaphor and more like comedy. While Perkins may have been speaking about mindset rather than play style, the execution missed badly. Wembanyama is widely viewed as the greatest prospect the NBA has ever seen, while Perkins was a solid, role-playing center. They are simply not in the same league, and fans made sure ESPN heard about it.
