Whether you remember him for his days as a player on the Oklahoma City Thunder, or elsewhere in the NBA, or know him now as an analyst, Kendrick Perkins doesn’t hesitate to criticize anyone — including former teammates (i.e. Kyrie Irving). At the same time, if Perkins thinks praise is warranted, he’ll be the first in line to compliment or even defend the deserving party.
While Perkins tends to speak more often about his days with the Boston Celtics when discussing his days as a player, having won a title with the team before he was traded to the Thunder three seasons later, he typically speaks highly of his time in Oklahoma City when that stage in his career is brought up.
During his appearance on ESPN’s “Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective,” Perkins talked about the importance of visiting team facilities as a free agent. In the course of the conversation, he praises of the Thunder’s training facility. Perkins also expressed he believes it’s part of the reason Paul George stayed with the Thunder, instead of looking elsewhere when he became a free agent in 2018.
I don’t know if y’all [have] ever visited Oklahoma City[‘s] practice arena, but it’s one of the best I [have] ever seen. Just top-notch. And when PG decided to stay there, it didn’t surprise me. Because they have one of the best medical staff[s], best training staff as far as organization-wise, their stuff is top-notch.
George, of course, broke his right leg while with Team USA in the summer of 2014, when he was still a member of the Indiana Pacers. Now five years removed from the rough injury, George was a 2019 MVP and Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
George also had surgery performed on each of his shoulders following the 2018-19 season. After both were deemed successful by the team, he made sure to declare both of his shoulders healthy himself.
