Kendrick Perkins

Infobox NBA Player
name = Kendrick Perkins


caption =
position = Center
nickname = Perk
height_ft = 6
height_in = 10
weight_lb = 264
league = NBA
team = Boston Celtics
number = 43
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1984|11|10
birth_place = Nederland, Texas
highschool = Clifton J. Ozen HS
(Beaumont, Texas)
college = None
draft = 27th overall
draft_year = 2003
draft_team = Memphis Grizzlies
career_start = 2003
career_end =
former_teams =
awards = 1-time NBA Champion
(2008)

Kendrick Perkins (born November 10 1984 in Nederland, Texas) is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.

High school

Perkins graduated from Clifton J. Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas in 2003 where he led Ozen High to four consecutive district championships and one state championship during his high school career. Averaging 27.5 points, 16.4 rebounds and 7.8 blocked shots a game as a Senior, he led Ozen to a 33-1 record, with the only loss being a 66-54 setback to Fort Worth Dunbar in the state 4A championship game. In 2003, Perkins was selected to the McDonald's All-American game for high-school players. He had originally committed to the University of Memphis, but opted instead to make the jump to the NBA straight out of high school.

NBA

The 6'10" center/power forward was drafted in the first round with the 27th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, but was immediately traded along with Marcus Banks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones, who had been selected by the Celtics in the same draft.

During the 2004-05 season, Perkins received more playing time than he did his rookie season, and became known as one of the tougher players on the Celtics. He had a limited role during the regular season and playoffs as the team's "enforcer". Perkins was involved in an unusual scenario in the final seconds of regulation in Game 6 of the 2005 Eastern Conference first round against Indiana, Paul Pierce was ejected but Pierce was owed free throws because he had been fouled before the ejection. Under NBA rules, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle chose to select Perkins (who had not played in the game) off the bench to shoot the crucial free throws (the game was tied). Perkins missed both, indirectly leading the game going into overtime, in which the Celtics eventually won. [ [http://www.nba.com/games/20050505/BOSIND/recap.html Walker, Celtics Force Game 7] ]

After marked improvements during summer training and practice, Perkins earned more playing time from coach Doc Rivers during the 2005-06 season. He played some of the best games of his career in 2006, repeatedly reaching double figures in points and rebounds. After the trade of Mark Blount to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Perkins became the undisputed starting center for the Celtics, although he was already sharing starting time before Blount's departure.

Personal

Perkins is a practicing Roman Catholic.http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19774861&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=512588&rfi=6] He was an altar boy in his youth, and it was often problematic to find an alb to fit him due to his height. He has a son, Kendrick Perkins II, born September 10, 2007. [Citation
last=Spears
first=Marc
author-link=Marc Spears
title=Perkins Becomes A Dad
newspaper=The Boston Globe
volume=
issue=
pages=Boston Globe Celtics Blog
year=1835
date=9-11-2007
url=http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2007/09/perkins_becomes.html]

References

External links

*
* [http://www.nba.com/celtics/roster/Perkins_Profile.html Celtics.com player profile]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3730 ESPN.com player card]
* [http://www.perkisabeast.com PerkIsABeast.com]