Kendrick Perkins Would Have Played for John Calipari If NIL Existed

Kendrick Perkins’s career might have looked different had he played in the era of NIL (name, image and likeness). 

The 15-year NBA veteran told Front Office Sports Today he would have honored his commitment to play at Memphis for John Calipari had NIL existed when he was coming out of high school. Instead, Perkins skipped college and joined the Celtics in 2003 as a 19-year-old.

He’s clear on his motivation back then: helping his family financially. “I was raised by my grandparents. My grandmother made about $60 a week. My grandfather made $300 a month off being a local church janitor. And so we grew up in a home that my great-grandfather built. And my whole motivation was that I wanted to get my grandparents out of this situation,” Perkins says. “If I did have that opportunity to make money the way that these student-athletes are making going to college. I probably would have [taken] a different direction. And Coach Cal kept telling me, ‘Hey, Kendrick. Look, if you come here, Perk, I’m telling you, I’m going to make you a lottery pick.’”

Perkins decided to stay in the draft after the Celtics gave him a guarantee they’d take him, which they honored after he was drafted 27th by the Grizzlies in the 2003 draft and then immediately traded to Boston. Perkins’s rookie season coincided with Wyc Grousbeck’s first season owning the team with his family. Now, the Grousbecks are selling the team. 

The 39-year-old former forward played seven-and-a-half seasons with the Celtics and was a key reserve on Boston’s 2008 championship team. He understands the family’s decision to sell in light of the expensive contract extensions they’ve handed out. 

“Sometimes you got to make business decisions,” Perkins said. “It’s kind of crazy because you look at their starting five and the salary, it’s probably close to a billion dollars just in the starting five alone, right?” 

Perkins pointed to what the Grousbecks accomplished with the Celtics—reviving the franchise, delivering two championships, and raising its value. “That’s one hell of a flip, ain’t it?” he said.