To become a future NBA star, kids need to start early. More often than not, especially in the United States, that means enrolling in a school with a strong basketball program. But former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins has a warning for those lacing up their boots. He ranted about it on the latest edition of his Road Trippin podcast.
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Perkins, of course, wants to see new ballers emerge from all across the country. However, he feels that the public school system is broken for those who wish to pursue basketball. His reasoning is that students are spending too much of their day studying subjects he considers irrelevant. His message was clear: if you want to make it past high school basketball, avoid public school.
The ex-Oklahoma City Thunder big man knows what it takes to reach the NBA and succeed there. That is why his opinion carries weight. Much of his criticism comes down to the training regimens in public schools.
“If you have plans on playing basketball past high school at any level, regular public school is not he f****** answer,” he began. “Times are different. They’re wasting three hours of their day doing s*** at their school that is not benefiting them, and they are getting behind the 8-ball.”
To further drive home this point, Perkins brought up how those who deem themselves dedicated enough to becoming an NBA star are going to prep school. “The top-tier players, the ones that are taking basketball serious, they are either in a home school or prep school.”
“Marcus Spears’ son, who was just named the No. 1 player in the country, his son goes to Jermaine O’Neal’s school. Jermaine O’Neal has a prep school in Dallas that his son went to. By the way, his son is at SMU now, full ride,” revealed the former Boston Celtics star.
Perkins then stated that subjects like science or social science are a waste of time for kids who want to make basketball their life. He argued that they only need to learn how to read, write, and do basic math. “The other part of your day needs to be dedicated to working on your craft. Because if you’re not, you’re going to be behind in the game of basketball,” he barked.
To further assert his point, Perkins cited international superstars Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, insisting that there was no way they spent the majority of their time in school.
“I just saw a 13-year-old out there, who’s 6’8″ in Paris, that they just put on social media. I guarantee you he’s not in school for 7–8 f****** hours a day. He’s training,” the 40-year-old added, referring to Mohamed Dabone, who recently joined FC Barcelona.
Perk probably means well. And he is partly right that young players will be entering a vast talent pool in the future. But to act as if public schools do not build sports and athletics into their programs is a wild claim. They always have.
