Kendrick Perkins

Kendrick Perkins (born November 10, 1984 in Nederland, Texas) is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA.

During his time with the Boston Celtics, Perkins established himself as an important low-post defender who was capable of defending the league's top centers, despite not posting high scoring numbers.^[1]

High school

Perkins graduated from Clifton J. Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas in 2003 where he led Ozen High to four consecutive district championships and one state championship during his high school career. Averaging 27.5 points, 16.4 rebounds and 7.8 blocked shots a game as a Senior, he led Ozen to a 33–1 record, with the only loss being a 66–54 setback to Fort Worth Dunbar in the state 4A championship game. In 2003, Perkins was selected to the McDonald's All-American game for high-school players. He had originally committed to the University of Memphis, but opted instead to make the jump to the NBA straight out of high school.

NBA career

The 6'10" center was drafted in the first round with the 27th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, but was immediately traded along with Marcus Banks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones, who had been selected by the Celtics in the same draft.

During the 2004–05 season, Perkins received more playing time than he did his rookie season, and became known as one of the tougher players on the Celtics. He had a limited role during the regular season and playoffs as the team's "enforcer". Perkins was involved in an unusual scenario in the final seconds of regulation in Game 6 of the 2005 Eastern Conference first round against Indiana. Paul Pierce was ejected but Pierce was owed free throws because he had been fouled before the ejection. Under NBA rules, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle chose to select Perkins (who had not played in the game) off the bench to shoot the crucial free throws (the game was tied). Perkins missed both, indirectly leading the game going into overtime, in which the Celtics eventually won.^[2]

After marked improvements during summer training and practice, Perkins earned more playing time from coach Doc Rivers during the 2005–06 season. He played some of the best games of his career in 2006, repeatedly reaching double figures in points and rebounds. After the trade of Mark Blount to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Perkins became the undisputed starting center for the Celtics, although he was already sharing starting time before Blount's departure. He started at center for the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics.

In Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, Perkins injured his knee and missed the rest of the game. He was inactive for Game 7, in which the Celtics fell to Lakers. According to the Los Angeles Times, he suffered torn MCL and PCL ligaments in his right knee.

Perkins did not return to the floor until January 25 of 2011, when he logged 17 minutes off of the bench netting 7 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He received a standing ovation upon entering the game in the first quarter. After coming off the bench for his first 5 games back, Perkins returned to the starting line-up Friday, February 4 in a home loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He logged his first double-double of the season with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 1 blocked shot while shooting 6 for 7 from the field in 33 minutes. On February 24, 2011, Perkins and Nate Robinson were traded to Oklahoma City Thunder for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstić.

Career transactions

• June 26, 2003: Drafted 27th overall by Memphis Grizzlies in 2003 NBA Draft.
• June 26, 2003: Traded by Memphis along with draft rights of 13th pick Marcus Banks to the Boston Celtics for draft rights of 16th pick Troy Bell and 20th pick Dahntay Jones.^[3]
• February 24, 2011: Traded by Boston along with Nate Robinson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic and a 2012 first-round pick (top 10 protected) from the LA Clippers.
• March 1, 2011: Signed a multi-year extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder.^[4]

Personal

Perkins is a practicing Roman Catholic.^[5] He was an altar boy in his youth, and it was often problematic to find an alb to fit him due to his height.^[5] He has a son, Kendrick Perkins II, born September 10, 2007.^[6]

On July 25, 2009, Perkins married his longtime girlfriend, Vanity Alpough.^[7]

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

References

External links

• Kendrick Perkins at NBA.com
• Celtics.com player profile
• Kendrick Perkins at Basketball-Reference.com
• ESPN.com player card
• PerkIsABeast.com
• Kendrick Perkins Statistics