Kendrick Perkins has never been shy about speaking his mind, but he never expected his words to cost him a lifetime supply of Jordans.
The former NBA champion recently revealed that after he publicly declared LeBron James as the greatest player of all time, his steady stream of exclusive Jordan sneakers suddenly stopped.
Kendrick Perkins Says His Jordan Sneaker Supply Ended
The story surfaced as First Take was deep in a discussion about the ongoing back-and-forth between James and Stephen A. Smith. The debate eventually shifted to James’ relationship with Jordan, giving Perkins the perfect moment to share his experience. He shared a bizarre yet hilarious story that suggests the Jordan Brand takes GOAT talk seriously.
NBA Central posted about it on X:
“Kendrick Perkins says Michael Jordan signed him to Jordan Brand but cut him off after he said LeBron was the GOAT.”
According to Perkins, he had been receiving regular sneaker shipments from Jordan Brand for years. But the moment he crowned James as the GOAT, the shipments mysteriously stopped.
“MJ is petty as hell,” Perkins said. “If you go in my closet, it’s nothing but J’s. I keep J’s on my feet. I was signed to Jordan (Brand) for about two years when I was playing. I wore J’s for a few years during my time in Oklahoma City. After that, I used to get boxes in the mail all the time of the J’s before they even hit the stores. I started my media career. As soon as I said that LeBron James was the GOAT, those boxes stopped coming.”
Was it a coincidence? A miscommunication? Or did someone at Jordan Brand, maybe even MJ himself decide to cut Perkins off? We’ll never know for sure, but Perkins seems convinced it wasn’t an accident.
Perkins, James Have A Complicated Relationship
While Perkins has often defended the NBA veteran, their friendship has had its own ups and downs.
During the same First Take segment, Smith pointed out that King James has also cut ties with Perkins in the past.
“Kendrick Perkins says a negative word about LeBron James, and LeBron James blocks Kendrick Perkins,” Smith explained.
Perkins confirmed it with a chuckle.
“Unfollowed me,” he said. “He unfollowed me, and then I blocked him on my cell phone.”
Despite their history, Perkins and James go way back. Their first encounter was in seventh grade when Perkins played for the Houston Hoops against James’ Ohio Shooting Stars. Later, they became teammates at the ABCD Camp with the Oakland Soldiers.
Perkins’ story proves one thing—NBA legends don’t forget. Whether it was Jordan cutting off sneaker shipments or James unfollowing him, the GOAT debate isn’t just talk. It has real consequences, even for those just giving their opinion.