Kendrick Perkins and Brian Scalabrine, former teammates on the Boston Celtics for five years, find themselves entangled in a growing feud, all stemming from a controversial remark made by Scalabrine in the aftermath of the Celtics’ latest NBA championship victory.
During his 11-season NBA career, Scalabrine, affectionately known as “The White Mamba” by fans, was never a marquee player. Nonetheless, he remains a beloved figure, particularly for his role off the bench during the Celtics’ 2009 championship run. Post-retirement, Scalabrine transitioned to a career in sports broadcasting, working with NBC Sports Boston and hosting a show on SiriusXM.
It was on his radio show where Scalabrine hinted at some underlying tension between the Celtics organization and Kendrick Perkins, who, despite starting his career in Boston and contributing significantly for seven seasons before a 2010 trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder, seemed to be somewhat estranged from the team.
Scalabrine suggested that the Celtics do not have an “open-arms thing” for Perkins, which could potentially be attributed to the critical commentary Perkins often provides as a sports analyst on ESPN.
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The situation escalated when Perkins addressed these comments during a call to the “Felger & Mazz” show.
In a heated response, Perkins labeled Scalabrine a “coward” for apparently avoiding his calls after airing the contentious remarks.
Perkins also highlighted the presence and absence of various teammates during the Celtics’ recent championship celebration parade, noting the attendance of Eddie House, Leon Powe, Paul Pierce, and Scalabrine himself, while pointing out that many others were missing.
Perkins expressed a poignant sentiment regarding the celebration, emphasizing that while he was not invited, even if he had been, he likely would have declined to attend. “And to be honest with you, if I would’ve gotten an invite, which I didn’t—I didn’t know we were supposed to—but anyways, nine times out of 10, I would’ve turned it down… That’s not our moment. That’s 2024’s moment. Let those guys have their moment,” he explained.
Despite the public nature of their dispute, it seems Perkins is keen on resolving these issues privately with Scalabrine.
Although the current exchanges between the two former teammates are fraught with tension, there remains a possibility for reconciliation.
However, the unfolding drama continues to captivate audiences, with many eager to see how the situation develops—perhaps even hoping for a bit more drama before any potential resolution.
