Kendrick Perkins believes Anthony Edwards is missing more than hardware or highlights to become the face of the NBA—he says Edwards needs a wife and kids.
Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Perkins said the Timberwolves star isn’t lacking in game or charisma, but in family structure.
“You gotta check the boxes when you’re the face of the league,” Perkins said, via Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing. “Yes, we know you gotta have your signature shoe, you’re gonna be in commercials, you’re gonna have the highlights, you gotta have the game. But you know what else you gotta have? You gotta be a role model.”
Perkins compared Edwards to former NBA greats, claiming a stable home life was a shared trait among them during their playing days.
“You look at Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron, Steph, what did they all have in common?” Perkins asked. “While they was all playing in the league, they all were family men. They all were married with kids.”
He added, “If you think that don’t play a role as far as the role model, this is facts. This is not something that I’m making up. Now, what happened to them after they retired, that’s their business. But while they were playing, they were family men.”
Edwards, 23, has steadily built his profile with All-Star performances and commercial appeal.
Through five seasons, the Minnesota guard is averaging 23.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 44.6% shooting.
He’s also improved his postseason output to 27.1 points across 41 career playoff games.
But despite his statistical leap and leading Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals, Edwards is now under scrutiny for reasons unrelated to basketball.
The timing of Perkins’ comments followed Minnesota’s Game 4 loss to Oklahoma City, where Edwards was limited to 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting.
With the Timberwolves trailing 3-1 in the series, the former No. 1 pick is facing increased pressure, both on and off the court.
Game 5 will take place Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder hold a 7-1 home record this postseason.
Edwards and the Timberwolves will need to win three straight to avoid elimination and shift the conversation back to basketball.
