Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins had a bizarre take on Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards not too long ago. In short, he claimed Edwards couldn’t be the face of the NBA because he doesn’t have a wife and kids.
Whether or not Edwards should be seen as the next face of the NBA, having a family should not have anything to do with it. After Perkins’ comments got justifiable backlash, Perkins publicly apologized to Edwards.
Kendrick Perkins Apologizes to Anthony Edwards
On May 28, Perkins took to his personal X account to apologize to Edwards directly for his comments.
“Anthony Edwards is one my favorite players in the League if not my favorite player. I apologized privately so I’m apologizing publicly to the young (king emoji) for my comments on First Take yesterday. My bad young fella. I Was not taking a personal shot at you but I could see how it could have been taken that way,” Perkins wrote.
Anthony Edwards is one my favorite players in the League if not my favorite player. I apologized privately so I’m apologizing publicly to the young 👑 for my comments on First Take yesterday. My bad young fella. I Was not taking a personal shot at you but I could see how it could…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 28, 2025
Since transitioning to his new position as an NBA analyst, Perkins has developed a reputation for saying some pretty outlandish things that toe the line between bold and offensive. Sometimes, he has had takes based on nothing objective, just as he sees it.
So while a take like this is in character for someone like Perkins to say, the fact that he got so much backlash from it shows how bad of a take it was. He doesn’t apologize often for what he’s said, even when his takes have gotten backlash or his opinion has been disproven. Hence, his recognition that he said something he shouldn’t have showed the magnitude of the backlash.
Because, again, the truth is, unless Edwards does something illegal, his personal life should not factor into being the NBA’s icon in this day and age. That’s never been an issue, and it shouldn’t start now. Even though he’s a big name in the NBA, Edwards’ personal life should be nobody’s business but his, and it shouldn’t affect his status as one of the league’s most recognizable players.
Edwards has not had a public response to Perkins’ apology.
