Oklahoma City’s NBA environment has always been unique. From the time the team moved from Seattle, the front office has preached how important it is that the team is directly tied to the city. It’s evident in just how much OKC has grown up with the Thunder in town.
Of course, the 2024-25 Thunder team finally put a bow on Oklahoma City’s historic run as a young franchise. Not many organizations have experienced the amount of success as the Thunder, and nobody has experienced success faster. For Oklahoma City, though, it has always been a priority to recognize the past while embracing the present. When Thunder legends return home for a game, the ovation is always deafening.
That exact scenario happened when Kendrick Perkins was in the building for the NBA Finals. Of course, it’s different from most past players as Perkins is prominent media member and contracted by ESPN to be a top NBA reporter. He doesn’t quite get to be a fan of the Thunder like those that have returned before him. But the love for Perkins in the city hasn’t changed. He got a full standing ovation when shown on the big screen during the game, and it provided a really cool full circle moment in Thunder history.
Appreciate the love Presti and love for life @okcthunder pic.twitter.com/hluAjEUvIz
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) July 1, 2025
During Sam Presti’s exit interview after the season’s conclusion, he made sure to point out Perkins’s crucial impact within the organization and the respect he still has for him.
“Perk really is a unique figure in our history because he changed a lot of things when he got here,” Presti said. “I think he won like 75 percent of the games he played in here, which is an astounding stat. He did have some pretty good teammates during those game, I think he helped us go from a fun team to a contending team.
“He's a special guy. The other thing is Perk from the first day he got here, he just raised the basketball acumen in the building in a way that was, like, really significant. He helped change the program 100 percent, so I'm so happy that he got recognized for that.”
During his five seasons with the Thunder, Perkins started 225 out of 273 total games. He averaged 4.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, but his impact stretched far beyond the stat sheet. He gave Oklahoma City an enforcer — someone to lead the young guys on the team and stand up for them at every step of the way.
After trading for Perkins, the Thunder reached the NBA Finals. During one of Oklahoma City’s most successful periods of basketball, Perkins was at the forefront helping lead the way. He’ll always be warmly welcomed back to the Paycom Center.
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