Kendrick Perkins was one of the media personnel who voted for Rudy Gobert as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year this season. The former Boston Celtics big man backtracks, saying doing so is the biggest regret of his media career.
On ESPN’s First Take with Shannon Sharpe and Udonis Haslem, Perkins explained why that’s the case. (H/T: Awful Announcing)
“I have the biggest regret in my media career, and Molly I’m retiring, UD, Shannon, from voting for individual awards, regular season awards, because I have done a disservice in using my vote right. Me voting this season for Rudy Gobert, OK, is an embarrassment for me, for Defensive Player of the Year.
He’s the first player that we see, every single time, in the postseason, that becomes a defensive liability. Don’t come give me this analytics, don’t come give me this +/- stats because that’s the most overrated stat in the NBA. When I look at Rudy, he has tarnished he Defensive Player of the Year award. He has. He’s not respected by his peers. We saw what happened to him in the Denver series, he couldn’t even guard the person at his position.”
What is he doing right now, in this series? Do we realize that Rudy has three blocks in three games? He’s averaging 1 block per game at 7’3″. Unacceptable. To say that he’s a four-time Defensive Player of the Year.”
Kendrick Perkins on voting for Rudy Gobert as DPOY
While Perkins is entitled to his opinion, the DPOY is a regular-season award. The Minnesota Timberwolves secured the No. 2 seed partly because of Gobert’s contributions.
Is Rudy Gobert A Defensive Liability?
However, many NBA analysts echoed Perkins’ concerns. Paul Pierce, Gilbert Arenas, Draymond Green, and Charles Barkley suggested bringing Gobert off the bench for a change in favor of Naz Reid.
Paul Pierce suggests bringing Rudy Gobert off the bench
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 27, 2024
“The defensive player of the year is a defensive liability.”
(@undisputed ) pic.twitter.com/uWut5PWUnZ
In multiple plays, the Dallas Mavericks targetted Gobert in the perimeter. Luka Doncic hit the game-winner over him in Game 2 after a switch and the Wolves center couldn’t do anything. On one play, Doncic told rookie Jaden Hardy to dance with Gobert on the perimeter, resulting in a foul.
Nevertheless, there isn’t anything new here. Teams have always put a bulls-eye on Gobert’s back since his Utah Jazz days, and that will probably never change. Big Perk made his vote and should live with it.
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