During a discussion on ESPN’s NBA Today, Kendrick Perkins found himself advocating for Indiana Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis to be considered for the NBA MVP award, prompting laughter from his co-hosts.
Kendrick Perkins gets laughed at for saying Domantas Sabonis deserves MVP consideration https://t.co/Psp4c93Jih pic.twitter.com/3vSIXJstQe
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 28, 2024
The conversation on the show initially revolved around the favorites for the league’s MVP, with Perkins pitching Jayson Tatum as his leading candidate. However, Perkins then made an unconventional case for Sabonis, raising eyebrows among his co-hosts.
“We can make a compelling argument for all guys when it comes down to Jokić, when it comes down to SGA, it could come down to Donovan Mitchell, Luka. All these guys are gonna put up historical numbers in today’s game. Hell, if we want to make a case, why are we not saying anything about Sabonis?” Perkins stated, eliciting laughter from his co-hosts.
Perkins supported his argument by highlighting Sabonis’s statistical contributions, noting that the Pacers player leads the NBA in triple-doubles and double-doubles. Sabonis has been a key player for the playoff-bound Pacers, averaging an impressive 20 points, 13 rebounds, and over eight assists per game.
While Perkins acknowledges that Sabonis may not win the NBA MVP this season, he contends that the suggestion deserves serious consideration. The Sacramento Kings, currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, face stiff competition, but Perkins drew parallels to Russell Westbrook winning the MVP with the sixth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, emphasizing the impact of triple-doubles.
Perkins’ shift in perspective from last year is highlighted, as he previously opposed the idea of Nikola Jokić winning the MVP for a third consecutive season. He even suggested that MVP voters held a racial bias against the league’s Black players, leading to an uncomfortable exchange with JJ Redick on First Take. Ultimately, Joel Embiid claimed the MVP title last season.
Now, Perkins sheds light on Sabonis, who is white, as a potential MVP candidate, emphasizing that the idea should not be dismissed outright.
