NBA fans couldn’t believe how big former player Kendrick Perkins looked while on television during Tuesday’s Western Conference Finals opener between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Cameras caught the former OKC big man standing near the player’s entrance tunnel, looking like he had gained several more pounds.
“Big Perk,” as he’s known, was listed at 6ft 10in and 270 pounds while he played in the NBA, but appeared to be way bigger on Tuesday night, going viral in photos showing him standing next to ESPN colleague Stephen A. Smith.
Perkins has been with ESPN since retiring and is now one of the more prominent faces on sports television. Given that he mostly sits behind a desk or calls in, fans don’t usually get to see him in full form.
Kendrick Perkins Causes A Stir On Social Media
While it might have been a poor camera angle, social media had plenty to say about the sighting.
“Is that Kendrick Perkins?” one asked.
Is that Kendrick Perkins? pic.twitter.com/sLz16SRrQH
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) May 21, 2025
“Why are y’all the main two always calling Luka Dončić out of shape and questioning his conditioning, @KendrickPerkins @WindhorstESPN? Luka haters then parrot what these two have to say about his body… ain’t no way,” another suggested.
“Damn Kendrick Perkins Big Asf ,” someone else laughed.
Damn Kendrick Perkins Big Asf
pic.twitter.com/nPBe0Yc9ht— TheTruth (@Thetruth8240) May 21, 2025
“Stephen A got a new bodyguard next time Lebron rolls up on him again lol,” a user joked.
Unfortunate camera angle, or did Perkins really balloon?
The former center, who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, had not addressed the photo as of Thursday morning, but he’s pretty active on social media and has likely seen it.
Maybe he will eventually, but something tells us he’ll probably ignore it and “carry on,” as he likes to say.
Also Read: Kendrick Perkins Reveals Wild Move He Made After LeBron James Unfollowed Him Over Criticism