Former Celtic big Kendrick Perkins held a candid discussion at the Somerville Armory celebrating the release of his new book, “The Education of Kendrick Perkins.” And it was candid. Here are a few takeaways from Perk reflecting on his career and the Celtics:
Perkins’ weight kept him off the court as a rookie
Perk opened up about playing for Jim O’Brien as a teenage rookie, calling his old coach “old school” and “cutthroat,” especially when it came to fitness and conditioning.
“I never had to do a weight and body fat test in Texas. I’d just show up and play, and I was bigger than everybody and it was cool.”
O’Brien was blunt with Perkins: his 326-pound frame carrying 24% body fat wasn’t going to get him on the parquet. He kept the young center on the injury reserve for some 30 games before he a chance to compete in green.
“I had to get my weight down and get my body under control just to impress Jim O’Brien,” he said.
Doc Rivers changed Perkins’ career path
Perkins credits his first meeting with Rivers in 2004 for his long career: “I didn’t know Doc, he didn’t know me. And he said, ‘Perk, I’m just going to be honest with you. You could try to go out here and be an All Star and a franchise guy, and you could make it – but I believe you won’t.’”
Rivers followed up that blunt message with an offer to help him become the “best version of Perk” – an elite post defender, rim protector, and offensive center.
Following his direction, Perkins played 14 years in the NBA. “I always joke with Doc, ‘You know you held me back?’ He says, ‘No, I blessed you with a long career,’” Perk said.
Perkins cried when the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett
Doc Rivers personally called Perkins to let him know the Big Ticket was coming to Boston in 2007, but Perkins took the news poorly because his best friend, Al Jefferson, was a trade piece out of Boston:
“I’m not seeing the big picture. I break down in tears. ‘You traded Al?’ I’m not trying to hear none of this. He said, ‘You call me when this sinks in.’ I said, ‘Nothing’s sinking in, you just traded my best friend.’”
Perk and Garnett were not on speaking terms when he arrived
Those hard feelings carried over from Jefferson’s departure until the team took a preseason trip to Rome. Perkins said he and KG didn’t speak a single word to one another on the team plane.
“KG and I didn’t get along (when he was) in Minnesota. We hated each other to the point we were going to go at blows at each other. We didn’t say nothing to each other, seven-hour flight from Boston.”
But following one practice in Italy, Perkins was impressed by Garnett’s personal workout. He approached him mid-workout and asked to join.
“He broke open this big smile, and that’s just what I needed to do, to approach him like a little brother. Ever since then we’ve been tied together like shoelaces.”
He wishes he retired a Celtic, and he’s not the only one
“I do,” Perkins said. “I wish I could have had that one time where they brought me back two years, or whatever. I wish I never got traded. Wyc Grousbeck - who is actually a great friend of mine - came to an event I had in New York. He said, ‘I made the biggest mistake in my life ever, this is my favorite player, I never should have traded him. I still regret it.’”
Perk celebrates Jayson Tatum's 55-point, NBA All-Star MVP performance
"He wants to continue to add to his legacy, and that's special, because it shows self-pride."
"The way he's approached the season, you can tell he's put in the work not just on the floor, but watching film as well. It's about growth - and that's when you're starting to master the IQ part of the game."
There’s one New England guy Perkins wants to sit down with, one-on-one
“Tom Brady. Just watching Tom Brady on the field, I just want to know what he’s thinking. I want to know what the hell he’s thinking. He seems so unpredictable. For the first time, I would let him do all the talking. That selfie grin after the game – you know those selfie videos – what’s going on through your mind? Is that humble, or arrogant?”
And the NBA team with the worst fanbase is…
“It’s the Atlanta Hawks by far. No matter how good that team is, it’s always empty seats. They have a nationally televised game, they could be 30-16, there are empty seats. Where is the support?”
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