
The latest media feud in the basketball world escalated after Charles Barkley called Kendrick Perkins an “idiot and a fool” during a broadcast. Barkley, never one to mince words, took aim at ESPN’s NBA coverage and singled out Perkins in the process.
“He an idiot and a fool, he know who he is. Kendrick Perkins… the fools on the other network (ESPN), which we’re going to be working for next year,” Barkley said bluntly on air.
Perkins, a former NBA champion turned ESPN analyst, did not take the comments lightly. In a phone interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, he issued a fiery response.
“My thing is don’t play with me like that. I am the smoke,” Perkins told Robinson. “I don’t come up with the topics on ESPN and I don’t produce the shows. That’s not my job. My job is to give my opinion.”
Perkins defended his work, pointing out that he has been vocal about teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, despite claims that ESPN only focuses on the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
“Haven’t you been hearing me talk about the Oklahoma City Thunder and how I have them picked to win the West? It’s on my Twitter timeline. I said it on record,” Perkins added.
The former big man continued pushing back against Barkley’s remarks, emphasizing that he simply does his job as an analyst.
“I’m not Producer Perk, I’m not Executive Producer Perk. I do my job as an analyst and I go home,” Perkins said. “If they ask me how I feel about the Lakers or the Warriors, I talk about it and I weigh in. That’s literally my job. You want some smoke? Yeah, me too! Straight up! All that idiot and fool talk? Knock it off. I don’t come up with the topics.”
“Hey @NBAonTNT might wanna tell that senior citizen Charles Barkley that I’ll be around. When he see an idiot or fool in person make sure he keep that same energy. He can come playing with me if he want to and imma Address his ass like the numbers on a house. Straight from the 409 homeboy and we bar none and fade all. #TexasBoy,” Perkins tweeted.
““The Idiot” is headed on @SportsCenter to talk ALL Lakers!!!! THEY said Bron and Luka couldn’t play together but their play say otherwise. THEY said we’re going to be crying in the morning talking about the Lakers. They’re WRONG AGAIN. Gotta show love to the 40 year old Bron who basically locked up KAT tonight. Carry on… #IACTUALLYWATCHBASKETBALL,” he added in another tweet.
The exchange comes amid growing criticism of ESPN’s NBA coverage, with many fans and analysts calling out the network for prioritizing discussions about the Lakers and Warriors over other top teams.