"This dude was sending me threats, I am going to kill your kids" - Kendrick Perkins recalls getting death threats for saying Khris Middleton was better than Giannis
Kendrick Perkins' hot takes often drew attention, but one in particular ignited trouble that escalated into a dangerously intense situation. Perkins recalled this ordeal in the latest episode of the "Road Trippin'" podcast.
"I got death threats," Perk told co-hosts Channing Frye and Allie Clifton. "I got attacked by the barbs. It wasn't in my DMs; them MFers got my phone number. They was sending me text messages."
A fan started to get menacing
According to the former Boston Celtics big man, it all began when he offered a spicy opinion about the Milwaukee Bucks in their 2021 title run. Perkins was adamant that Khris Middleton was "Batman" to Giannis Antetokounmpo's "Robin" following the former's 40-point Game 4 performance to tie the series up.
Unbeknownst to Perk, he offended some random fan with his monologue. The said fan went to all the trouble to obtain Perkins' personal number and even his wife's social media account.
"This dude was sending me threat after threat after threat. I'mma kill your kids, as soon as you get there, I know where you stay, I'mma murder you. This real life. So, I'm like, I ain't really got time to be playing like this, so I tell ESPN. ESPN go do some digging, they lock the MFer up," stated Perkins.
"They found the dude and locked him up. This is a true story," Perk added.
The fan who made the threats swore that he was only joking, but it was too late. As per Perkins, the leading sports network did its due diligence and insisted on giving the perpetrator some real jail time to teach him a lesson.
Perk's hot take was not exactly "lighthearted" as he was pretty intense going all-in with Middleton in that debate with Stephen A. Smith. However, it does not justify harassment in any way. The incident shows the ugly side of fandom, where loyalty to a player can blur into something far more dangerous.
MPJ can take a page out of Perk's book
Perkins recalled that sobering story to prove a point about Michael Porter, Jr.'s recent claims.
According to MPJ, sports gambling, especially in the NBA, has gotten so out of hand that it endangers players' lives. He claims that when players cause the bettors to miss the over/under on a prop bet, it can trigger vicious threats toward players. He then questioned what would happen if these gamblers ever decided to act on them.
Porter Jr.'s point is that sports gambling should not be so accessible with just a phone and a WiFi connection. His suggestion is to restrict to in-person gambling and only in Las Vegas, all because of the threat it brings to the players.
For Perkins, even though things got really serious, especially on his and his family's part, MPJ is not alone in this fight. Like what ESPN did for Perk, the NBA could do the same for Porter, Jr. if it ever gets ugly.
"Michael Porter, Jr., if you're watching this," Perkins said, "they have this thing called NBA security. If you feel threatened, you're under a multibillion-dollar company is what you work for. You will be okay, young fellow."
The NBA isn't about to turn away from sports betting because it keeps fans glued to the games, not to mention the revenue stream coming from it. But MPJ's warning shouldn't be ignored. A bettor doesn't have to get within arm's reach to cause damage. All it takes is a split second and one of them might just cross a line you can't uncross.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
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