Kendrick Perkins has quickly become one of the most visible faces on ESPN’s NBA coverage, and he could be about to get a much bigger role going forward.
Perkins is seen as a “strong contender” to become a full-time member of ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” studio show, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. He would replace Jalen Rose, who was one of the high-profile names let go by the network in its recent wave of layoffs.
Perkins would presumably get a mixed reception from viewers if he did get the job. After all, he has been duped by fake tweets on multiple occasions, and his claims about NBA MVP voting last season actually forced the network to publicly correct the record. However, those initial remarks went viral and changed the tone of the MVP debate.
Ultimately, Perkins delivers the kinds of takes that draw attention to himself and the network, for better or worse. ESPN may feel that giving him a bigger platform for some of his opinions may prove good for ratings.
The longtime center has been an ESPN staple since his playing career ended in 2018. No matter what, he figures to be a major part of their NBA coverage going forward as the network makes major personnel changes for next season.
