Kendrick Perkins, a former NBA player and current media personality, is urgently advising LeBron James to cease his criticisms regarding NBA coverage. During an hour-long interview on The Pat McAfee Show Wednesday, which included moments designed to provoke, James reignited his ongoing feud with Stephen A. Smith, threw a surprisingly sharp criticism at Brian Windhorst, and expressed dissatisfaction with how the media covers the league. However, those who criticize Smith, Windhorst, and the NBA media should be prepared to face Perkins’ rebuke.
Appearing alongside Smith and Windhorst on First Take Thursday morning, Perkins reacted strongly to James’ assertion that he started his Mind the Game podcast with JJ Redick to correct the narrative surrounding the sport’s coverage. He stated, “LeBron James need to stop. He needs to stop. I’m so sick of him with this ‘oh how the league is covered’ because he wanted to be covered a certain way.” Perkins emphasized the importance of adapting to the times, noting that “everything that comes out of LeBron James’ mouth ain’t the damn gospel. We’re in 2025; it’s a different era. The coverage of the NBA has remained consistent since I began watching it as a child.”
He pointed out that legends like Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Allen Iverson faced their share of criticism throughout their careers, remarking, “In today’s game, these players are so sensitive! They don’t seem to understand that the pioneering players paved the way for today’s stars to earn $50-60 million a year. The current trends, such as load management and players sitting out games, could potentially harm future generations.”
While Perkins makes a valid point about the sensitivity of modern NBA players, it’s important to note that LeBron James, even at 40 years old, has resisted the trend of load management. Nonetheless, he has been sensitive to how the NBA’s narrative is shaped, especially as he nears the end of his playing career and as his son Bronny enters the league.
Interestingly, there’s a juxtaposition in the media landscape: Colin Cowherd complains that NBA media isn’t tough enough on players, while players express that media coverage is too harsh. The fundamental difference in how NBA and sports coverage is conducted today compared to previous eras lies in content dissemination; while hot takes and critical analyses are not new, they can now spread rapidly through social media. The more provocative the opinion, the faster it circulates.
