Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Kendrick Perkins Slams LeBron James For Choosing Steve Nash As Podcast Co-Host

Originally posted on The Spun | By Divij Kulkarni | Last updated Mar 27, 2025 1:58 PM ET

The ESPN crew is currently going through what can only be described as something of a headloss when it comes to their reactions to LeBron James. Stephen A. Smith already got exposed for lying about LeBron's attendance at Kobe Bryant's memorial, and now Kendrick Perkins is next in line with a borderline take.

LeBron James announced this week that his Mind The Game podcast would returning for Season 2. Obviously, JJ Redick can no longer be the co-host, and a teaser revealed that it would be 2-time MVP Steve Nash instead. Kendrick Perkins has taken issue to this.

Kendrick Perkins doesn’t understand why LeBron chose not to do the Mind of the Game podcast with guys like Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, Phil Handy, or Draymond Green, and instead chose to do it with Steve Nash and JJ Redick

( @FirstTake )

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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 27, 2025

"My last thing and I'm glad y'all brought up the Mind The Game podcast. He is one of the brightest basketball minds I've ever been around. Okay, you lose JJ Redick, and you go out and get Steve Nash. I would never question Steve Nash IQ or his intelligence when it comes down to the game of basketball."

Former NBA players Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash attend the match between Tallon Griekspoor (NED) and Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"But, Richard Jefferson just got hired on our A-Team, to cover the NBA Finals. He's smart as hell. Channing Frye, who won a championship with LeBron James and does NBA TV, he's intelligent as hell. Phil Handy, who LeBron James won two championships with, who's now doing his own thing, he's intelligent as hell.

"Hell, Draymond Green. I know Draymond Green ruffles some feathers, but no one can question his basketball mind or his basketball IQ. So what I'm getting at is, why none of those guys, LeBron? These are all your guys, so why none of those guys for Mind The Game? I'll leave it at that."

While on the surface, it might seem like Kendrick Perkins was simply suggesting some deserving candidates, the implication coming from him is much worse. Steve Nash and JJ Redick are both white, while all the names Perkins mentioned are black.

And while, to be fair, Perkins didn't say the quiet part out loud, it's not tough to put two and two together about the point he is making. It is sad to see the level that this feud has now descended to, and hopefully, the mud-slinging stops soon.

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

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