Former Celtic Kendrick Perkins to be inducted into Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame
Perkins played in Boston for eight years and now works as a sports analyst.
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2008 NBA champion Kendrick Perkins is set to receive another accolade for his success on the parquet.
The NBA center-turned-sports analyst will enter the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2024.
Perkins announced the news in a post on Twitter Tuesday night.
“Cried myself to sleep many of nights as a child because the struggle was real,” he shared. “But it made me into the man I am today.”
Perkins, a graduate of Clifton J. Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, is considered the school’s best basketball player ever. He led Ozen to four straight district championships from 2000-2003 and three successive trips to the state tournament between 2001-2003. The McDonald’s All-American helped his team secure a flawless 36-0 record in 2001. Perkins claimed the honor of Texas’ Mr. Basketball in 2003, as well.
A five-star recruit out of high school, the 6’10” big man opted to enter the NBA Draft instead of pursuing a collegiate career. The Memphis Grizzlies originally selected him in the first round in 2003. Memphis traded him to the Boston Celtics in the same draft, and he spent eight years in New England.
In the 2007-08 regular season and postseason, Perkins was Boston’s fifth-leading scorer behind Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo. He enjoyed the role of starting center for the NBA Finals championship squad.
A knee injury in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals led to the end of his Celtics tenure.
Perkins’ professional career spanned 14 years and 782 total games. The 38-year-old retired as a member of the Cavs in 2018.
Nowadays, Perkins can be seen talking ball on ESPN and NBC Sports Boston. He makes appearances on ESPN’s NBA Today, Get Up, First Take, and SportsCenter. Perkins joins NBC Sports Boston on Celtics game days.
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