Kendrick Perkins appears to be the last person to realize the extent of criticism ESPN has received for its NBA coverage this spring.
A day after Bill Simmons criticized ESPN’s coverage of the event and Perkins’ analysis specifically, the ESPN NBA analyst took to social media to respond to “cupcake a**” Simmons.
The former NBA journeyman center growled that Simmons “always got my name in his mouth” before accusing The Sports Guy of having takes infused with alcohol and jealousy.
“I don’t know who anointed you the preacher or king or head honcho, overseeing basketball and the way things need to be,” Perkins said in a video on X. “What have you done? What have you done, period, in the game of basketball? Have you ever played?”
Ill address your ass @BillSimmons on Sunday my Guy pic.twitter.com/PatmWMhIL6
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) June 26, 2025
The whole incident began with Simmons joking that he had started searching for a “third ESPN” on which to watch the draft after Perkins suggested that Toronto’s pick at No. 9 had solidified them as a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference.
While Perkins promised more of a response Sunday on a solo edition of his Road Trippin’ podcast once he finished “doing my research,” he felt he needed to react instantaneously because Simmons was being high and mighty.
“It’s kind of pissing me off because you feel like you’re sitting on this throne,” Perkins said. “You got in your feelings.”
If Perkins is genuinely asking what Simmons has done, both in his career and for “the game of basketball,” he is sure to get find out during his research. For one, Simmons occupied the exact same analyst role as Perkins for multiple years, covering the NBA Draft for ESPN. Simmons also appeared as a panelist on NBA Countdown —just like Perkins — for two seasons. Simmons also wrote The Book of Basketball, covering the history of the NBA. That book is revered by many in the basketball media, not to mention also by 2025 draft pick Kon Knueppel.
One of the most famous running series Simmons wrote in his column on ESPN’s Page 2 in the 2000s was an NBA Draft Diary, which featured commentary similar to his jabs at ESPN on Wednesday night. Through that column, Simmons became closely associated with the NBA, and later, on his podcast, hosted insightful conversations with figures such as Kevin Durant, Daryl Morey, and Doc Rivers.
Despite that resume, Perkins believes Simmons not only is inferior to him, but did nothing at all “in the game of basketball.”
Perkins even went so far as to suggest that Simmons had downed a few beers before he dared to knock a draft broadcast that is largely disliked.
“Man, shut up. You didn’t think before you started drinking them Heinekens,” Perkins said. “And then you got your little peanut gallery on the podcast who just agree with you … man, shut the hell up. The hell you done? I’m gonna get more on your *ss come Sunday, believe that. I’m gonna finish doing my research on you. Enough is enough.”
Perhaps this will blow over due to Simmons’ love of the Boston Celtics, the team that drafted Perkins and with which he won the 2008 NBA championship. That is, unless Perkins’ research over the next four days finds the dirt to end The Sports Guy once and for all.
UPDATE: “I’m honored that you sat in a car for 2+ minutes to scold me on your iPhone like this, even though we are a combined age of like 92,” Simmons responded. “If you actually think Toronto will be top-6 in the East in anything other than ‘most fun place to visit’ — let’s wager on it ASAP.”
I’m honored that you sat in a car for 2+ minutes to scold me on your iPhone like this, even though we are a combined age of like 92.
If you actually think Toronto will be top-6 in the East in anything other than “most fun place to visit” — let’s wager on it ASAP.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 26, 2025
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.