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ESPN NBA Analyst Kendrick Perkins Issues Apology

Originally posted on The Spun | By Daniel Bates | Last updated May 28, 2025 4:46 PM ET

Kendrick Perkins' comments about Anthony Edwards' personal life led to him apologizing to the T'Wolves star on social media Wednesday.

Yesterday the former NBA center and current ESPN analyst claimed the 23-year-old All-Star couldn't be the "face of the league" because he wasn't a married man that fit the mold of a role model.

"You gotta check the boxes when you're the face of the league," Perkins argued on Tuesday's "First Take." "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."

"You gotta check the boxes when you’re the face of the league…Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron, Steph…they all were family men. They all were married with kids." - Kendrick Perkins on Anthony Edwards pic.twitter.com/U8zFUZaYX2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 27, 2025

"You look at Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron, Steph, what did they all have in common? While they was all playing in the league, they all were family men. They all were married with kids," Perkins added. "And 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. ... While they were playing, they were family men. Married with kids."

Putting some of the false examples he laid out aside, it was still a little out-of-bounds for the ex-NBA champ to bring up. And he recognized that on his X account earlier this afternoon.

"Anthony Edwards is one my favorite players in the League if not my favorite player. I apologized privately so I'm apologizing publicly to the young for my comments on First Take yesterday," Perkins said. "My bad young fella. I Was not taking a personal shot at you but I could see how it could have been taken that way."

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 24: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts to a shot during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals at Target Center on May 24, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Shaq, Kobe and Magic all had very public bouts with infidelity during their careers and that didn't stop them from being the faces of their respective basketball eras.

Acting like Anthony Edwards can't be a devoted father despite not being married in his early 20s just seems a bit nonsensical. (Keep in mind he was sitting next to the similarly unmarried Stephen A. Smith — "face of the network" — while he delivered this).

At this point the question about Ant-Man and his potential face of the league status isn't about his marketability, but rather does he have the game for it?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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