Suns announcer calls out analyst for contentious racism comparison

Former Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins has built a reputable career in broadcasting after his retirement in 2018. Known to offer candid views, a contentious racism comparison on Monday saw Suns announcer Eddie Johnson call out Perkins online.

The former NBA champion discussed the negative effects of social media on modern players’ mental health right there, while having to face racism in previous eras.

“Here’s my thing,” Perkins said. “I would never take what guys like Bill Russells and what they had to go through for us to be able to perform at a high level or even be in the NBA. Back then, it was racism and death threats right?. But having to battle through the adversity of fucking social media as a player elevates up into that when you talk about mental toughness.”

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Despite drawing a grimace from co-host Richard Jefferson, the center pressed on, elaborating on his stance.

"Nah, Richard, hear me out. I get it," Perk said. "I get it people's lives were on the line but mental health is a real thing and we see many guys logging off of social media John Wall talked about how he wanted to commit suicide, It is a real thing!"

Johnson responded to the center by re-tweeting a clip of him on X (formerly Twitter).

"Someone get Kendrick a civil rights book for NOVICES, please," he wrote.

Although Perkins made a strong argument, his comparison of racism drew sharp criticism from former NBA player and Suns announcer Eddie Johnson. The former Sixth Man of the Year suggested Perkins read a civil rights book outlining the social struggles players faced in the 1960s and ’70s.

Kendrick Perkins apologizes to Pelicans fans for relocation comments amid stadium lease uncertainty

Kendrick Perkins found himself in hot water last week after he suggested the New Orleans Pelicans should relocate to Las Vegas in the event of an expansion. However, he quickly backtracked on his comments and apologized to the fans during his podcast.

"If there's an expansion, then the Pelicans might move to Vegas.' Listen, let me say this, I've barked up that tree before and it was a mistake on my part," he said.

"The fan base got on my heels like a pair of church socks. I thought about it, and I was wrong. The fan base down there is actually pretty d*mn good."

The center’s comments came amid the franchise’s uncertainty over its stadium lease. The team's contract with the Smoothie King Center is set to expire in 2028, with no official confirmation of an extension.

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About the author

Arian Kashyap

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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