Sports

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins insinuates that race was a part in Dirk Nowitzki, other MVP selections

By Lawrence Dow

March 2, 2023 2:33 PM

ESPN analyst and NBA champion Kendrick Perkins stirred up a debate on Wednesday when arguing about the MVP candidacy of Nikola Jokić.

At this point in the NBA season, most pundits believe Jokić will enter rarefied air and become the fourth player ever to win three straight NBA MVP awards.

Perkins claimed that since 1990 the only MVP award winners that did not rank top 10 in scoring average were Dirk Nowitzki, Nikola Jokić and Steve Nash and then went on to insinuate that black players faced a double standard from MVP voters.

Kendrick Perkins uploaded a video on his twitter, doubling down on his take that Jokic, Nash and Dirk only won MVP because they are white before deleting the tweet pic.twitter.com/nZiKcspXQ1
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) March 1, 2023

.@KendrickPerkins gives his rebuttal to the backlash from @jj_redick for his Nikola Jokić comments ️ pic.twitter.com/20R4K79SQP
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 1, 2023

I see the TRUTH got a lot people in their feelings today huh?! I’m just not afraid to say what other people are thinking as well. Carry the hell on… https://t.co/IaYdpQryGY
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) March 1, 2023

Lawrence Dow

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.

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