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In recent years, the Boston Celtics have seen more of their former players become trusted voices on national NBA television broadcasts than most teams. Paul Pierce’s recent Instagram faux pas notwithstanding.
Among the multitude of former players with ties to the Celtics to get into the broadcast game, Kendrick Perkins stands apart as one of the loudest voices in hoops punditry. Whether he’s right or wrong about a particular issue, the basketball world takes note whenever the 14-year NBA vet has a take.
As a player, Perkins was well-known for his toughness and tenacity on the court. Regardless of the obstacles he faced on a nightly basis, the 6-foot-10 center was never going to back down from a challenge.
That continues to be the case in his second career as a studio analyst and commentator.
On Friday, ESPN made a major announcement about Perkins’ status as one of its key hoops analysts. Clearly, his never-back-down approach has made a strong impression on the powers that be at the four-letter network.
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Perkins Re-Ups With ESPN
Per a tweet from ESPN PR, the network has re-signed Perkins to a multi-year deal. It was further noted that he would continue to be a presence “across multiple ESPN platforms,” including The Jump, Hoop Streams, SportsCenter, First Take and Get Up!.
ESPN senior vice president and basketball content guru Michael Shiffman was effusive in his praise for Perkins as they continue a relationship that began in 2019.
“Kendrick quickly established himself as an authentic, candid analyst with plenty of personality,” he wrote in a statement.
“The experience he gathered during his NBA Championship career has always made his insights smart, lively and engaging. He’s well connected to today’s game, further establishing his value as a commentator.”
Shiffman also expressed his excitement about Perkins’ continued presence on ESPN, and closed with the former Celtics’ signature social media sign-off.
“We’re excited for ‘Perk’ to continue his broadcasting career with us. #CarryOn”
Perkins Unafraid to Critique His Celtics
As regular viewers of Celtics’ pre- and post-game coverage — not to mention his Twitter followers — can attest to, Perkins has never been one to sugar-coat his Cs-centric takes. He may have attained an international platform, but the big man hasn’t minced words to make his former team look better.
He continues to be incredibly critical of the Celtics when he deems it necessary.
Earlier this season, he sounded off on Boston’s current crew, insinuating that the Cs had a sense of entitlement.
“It’s like they’re going to walk in the building and just show up and teams are going to lay down,” declared Perkins at the time.
He also came under fire recently for seemingly taking credit for a big game from Jayson Tatum after having called the Celtics star out previously.
However, Tatum has been on a tear since Perkins called him out. Over his last 14 games, the All-Star has averaged 31.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per contest while posting an effective field goal percentage of 56.3.
Coincidence? Perhaps not.
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