ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins sparked widespread confusion Thursday after comparing Jaylen Brown to rapper NBA YoungBoy during an appearance on NBA Today. The unexpected analogy quickly went viral, drawing sharp reactions across social media as the NBA community tried to make sense of the take.
The clip, posted online shortly after airing, triggered immediate backlash and, of course, plenty of jokes.
Kendrick Perkins’ Jaylen Brown–NBA YoungBoy Take Draws Immediate Backlash
SportsCenter on X shared a brief clip of Perkins arguing a case for Brown. All in good faith, but he said some things that felt weird to everyone. He said that Brown reminds him of NBA YoungBoy because he’s “an independent artist” in the league.
“Jaylen Brown reminds me this season of NBA YoungBoy. You know why? Because he’s an independent artist and he’s not with the industry. He’s not a guy that you see around; you turn on the TV and he’s on commercials. He’s not beloved like that. His delivery, and when you go to watch him, it’s word of mouth. So that means his production is louder than everybody else’s,” Perkins said.
Perkins doubled down by emphasizing that Brown is “doing more with less” while carrying the Boston Celtics without Jayson Tatum, who remains sidelined as he rehabs from his torn Achilles. Now, for Perkins, it was praise. He was just trying to appreciate Brown’s independence and production, but the NBA world didn’t see it that way.
Among the first ones to react was basketball analyst and sideline reporter for CBS Sports, Ashley Nicole Moss. She asked the fandom, “i need someone to explain this to me lol”.
Not all responses were dismissive. @LoufactsIGB tried to do some explaining, “He’s basically saying he’s not corporate backed (Nike, adidas, Gatorade, etc). Look up his beef with Nike Jaylen Brown’s shoe brand is 741 Performance, an independent venture he launched in September 2024 to emphasize ownership and creativity.”
Popular X meme page, Lake Show Yo, was blunt in their approach. They wrote, “Jaylen Brown reminds me this season of NBA YoungBoy.” What is Kendrick Perkins smoking?
Odds Shark’s Chris Walder wrote, “There have to be better options to put in that seat than Kendrick Perkins. There just has to be.,” while resharing the footage.
We can see him shake his head as he says this.
NBA & NFL content Creator, FlightMike, had his own funny take on what could have led Perkins to say whatever he said. He sarcastically wrote, “Kendrick Perkins has AI generate all of his takes before every show, because what on earth is this take.”
And then, well, this. The funniest take of all, brought to you by Chalkboard. They shared this meme, mocking Perkins’ analyst role, just going a step further to show how widely Perkins was being laughed at.
Brown’s MVP-Level Season Adds Context
Perkins’ argument may have come with a bizarre analogy, but the numbers back Brown’s MVP campaign.
- 29.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.8 APG
- 47.9% FG, 34.1% 3P
- Led Celtics to a 38–20 record, second in the East
- Named Eastern Conference Player of the Month (Jan 2026)
- 2026 NBA All-Star starter, his fifth selection
With Tatum missing significant time, Brown has absorbed the offensive burden and currently sits inside the top tier of the MVP conversation. While his comparison to NBA YoungBoy may be debatable, his value to the Celtics and his MVP credentials are undeniable.
