"09-10 Kendrick Perkins, I'd put up against anybody in 2K" - Ben Affleck pays massive respect to Kendrick Perkins in an interview
Kendrick Perkins has gone on to become a popular basketball analyst for ESPN. Before that, Perkins spent 14 years playing four different NBA organizations.
Perkins is most known for his time as a member of the Boston Celtics. In 2003, the talented big man was selected 27th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. But a draft-day trade saw Perkins traded with Marcus Banks to the Celtics in exchange for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones. Perkins was selected straight out of high school and took some time to find his groove at the NBA level.
It wasn't until the 2007-08 season in which Perkins started to cement himself as a legit NBA starting center. Playing alongside Celtics legends Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, Perkins established himself as a defensive anchor in the paint. The team won the 2008 NBA championship.
Perkins spent the next two seasons with the Celtics before being traded to the OKC Thunder. In his post-playing career, Perkins is still viewed by many Celtics fans as a fan favorite. That includes Hollywood actor and Boston fan Ben Affleck.
Perkins sat down with Affleck for an interview and asked Affleck who his favorite Boston Celtics players were:
"Outside of me, who is your favorite Celtic of all time?"
That's when Affleck praised Perkins, saying that he is in his top 10. After that comment, Affleck playfully joked with Perkins about his rankings:
"There's nobody outside of you. You in my top 10. The 10 of my top 10 is you. 09-10 Kendrick Perkins, I'd put up against anybody in 2K."
Kendrick Perkins: "Outside of me, who is your favorite Celtic of all-time?"
Ben Affleck: "There's nobody outside of you. You in my top 10. The 10 of my top 10 is you. 09-10 Kendrick Perkins, I'd put up against anybody in 2K." 🤣
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Looking Back at Kendrick Perkins' time with the Boston Celtics
It's an impressive accomplishment for any player to spend 14 years in the NBA. That was just the case for Kendrick Perkins.
Although Perkins was never an offensive force, he was best known for his ability on the defensive side of the ball. Listed at 6-foot-10, 270 pounds, Perkins was a force inside the paint and understood how to play his role at a high level.
As a member of the Boston Celtics, Perkins came into the NBA in 2003-04 as an extremely raw big man straight out of high school. He was 19 years old and played 3.5 minutes per game as a rookie. Eventually, Perkins started to see his minutes and confidence grow.
Let’s not act like Kendrick Perkins wasn’t nice on the Celtics! https://t.co/SfiRevgJrm
When the Boston Celtics made the moves to acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, Perkins was called upon to be in the starting lineup. He joined Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce to give the Celtics a dangerous starting five. Perkins' role was simple, being a defensive anchor alongside Kevin Garnett. That's just what he did, and his impact on the championship team cannot be understated.