Kendrick Perkins’s Player Comparisons Spark Major Reactions During NBA Draft

The ESPN analyst’s takes created quite the fan reaction on Twitter Thursday night.

ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins surprised fans during the 2022 NBA draft when he gave outlandish comparisons for the newly drafted players.

Whenever a player was drafted on Thursday night, the former round one pick would compare the rookie to a current NBA star. Fans disagreed with virtually all of the comparisons, though.

First, Perkins compared No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero to Michael Beasley, who doesn’t even play in the NBA anymore, as well as Nets guard Ben Simmons.

Just what every Magic fan wants to hear after their team picks Paolo Banchero No. 1 overall: Kendrick Perkins comparing him to Ben Simmons.

— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) June 24, 2022

Then, the analyst compared No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren to two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Wizards’ Kristaps Porziņģis. 

.@KendrickPerkins with quite the comparison for Chet Holmgren. #Thunder https://t.co/4h7MVgJtPH

— Nate Feken (@TheGreat_Nate) June 24, 2022

"If Giannis and Porzingis had a baby, you'd get Chet Holmgren"

Kendrick Perkins 👏 #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/xMBb4Aaqrw

— PointsBet (@pointsbetcomau) June 24, 2022

He compared No. 3 pick Jabari Smith Jr. to Kevin Durant.

Here’s a couple other comparisons Perkins made during the ESPN broadcast.

I don't see how Kendrick Perkins compared Keegan Murray to Pascal Siakam. #NBADraft #ESPN

— Doc Louallen (@LouallenDoc) June 24, 2022

Kendrick Perkins comps are gold…. Not quite “He’s a mix of Kareem and Muggsy Bogues” but close 😂

— Brad Carson (@BradCarson) June 24, 2022

Another example is when Perkins compared shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin, the Pacers No. 6 pick, to combo forward OG Anunoby.

It’s difficult to make comparisons for newly drafted players since they have yet to make their NBA debut, and most of the players Perkins compared the rookies to have won NBA titles and played many years in the league.

Here’s some of the Twitter reaction to Perkins’s crazy takes.

Mostly here for the Kendrick Perkins player comparisons, better than any stand-up set on Netflix

— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) June 24, 2022

Kendrick Perkins player comparisons are all over the place 😂😂

— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) June 24, 2022

Kendrick Perkins player comparisons are absolutely insane and I love it

— Peter Edmiston (@peteredmiston) June 24, 2022

The Kendrick Perkins "he reminds me of X all star" must stop.

— Ann Killion (@annkillion) June 24, 2022

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