ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins Trashes NBA All-Stars for ‘Disrespectful’ Performance

The ex-Celtics star thinks there’s only one way NBA players will put legitimate effort into the league’s midseason showcase.

The NBA world had plenty to say about Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins summed up all of their criticisms in one scathing rant in which he ruthlessly ripped the best players in the world.

The 2024 iteration of the storied showcase was difficult for some fans to watch. After all, it’s hard to appreciate greatness on the court when nearly every single possession is an uncontested layup or three-pointer. 

“To be honest, it was embarrassing, and it was disrespectful to the game of basketball,” Perkins said Monday on NBA Today. 

Perkins emphasized his belief that it’s an honor to be an All-Star, but he doesn’t think players will put in true effort unless the NBA increases the financial incentives.  

.@KendrickPerkins says the All-Star game was a complete embarrassment all across the board. pic.twitter.com/eLmA4MGsHn

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 19, 2024

This was also the first year since the NBA reverted the All-Star Game back to its classic format of East vs. West as opposed to players getting drafted by their respective captains. Additionally, the score didn’t reset every quarter like it had in recent years, leading to an absurd 211–186 victory for the Eastern Conference. 

The winning score was an All-Star Game record, but commissioner Adam Silver appeared completely unenthused with the history when addressing the crowd after the game. It appeared he was just as disappointed with the performance as the rest of the NBA world.

“If I was Adam Silver, I would’ve been pissed as hell like he was last night because it was an embarrassment all across the board,” Perkins said.