I just saw this on Twitter.
Or X.
Whatever.
Apparently, Kendrick Perkins was allegedly the locker room leader for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Not Kevin Durant. Not Russell Westbrook. Not James Harden. And if we’re talking about that era, OKC also had guys like Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Derek Fisher, Kevin Martin, Thabo Sefolosha, and Steven Adams.
I feel like I’m forgetting someone… Wait.
First of all, I get that role players can be leaders. For that reason, Udonis Haslem had a long career in Miami, and Tristan Thompson probably carved out a similar niche with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Vince Carter, post-Dallas, became the veteran presence NBA teams brought in to guide young rosters. But in most cases, true locker room leaders don’t need to announce it. This feels like grandstanding, and let’s be real—nobody likes someone who constantly talks themselves up.
If you’re a superstar—LeBron James, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic—you’re the automatic spokesperson, the hero, or the scapegoat for your team. But for secondary players, that recognition has to come from the stars themselves. And that’s what makes Kevin Durant’s response so wild. Even if Perkins was joking, a star has to shut that down because their reputation is on the line.
Perkins has a history of making over-the-top claims, and his current role as an NBA analyst only amplifies that. He already has beef with Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, and he’s picking fights with players who don’t even acknowledge him like Jokic, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and most of the Boston Celtics organization. Ex-players turned analysts have a unique perspective on the game, but at some point, Perkins needs to stick to the facts and let other people define his impact.
Just look at Nick Collison—the actual definition of a respected locker room leader. He spent his entire 14-year career with the Thunder (including their Seattle SuperSonics days), averaging 5.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 910 games. Yet no one will ever wear his No. 4 jersey again because of how much he meant to the franchise.
Well, no one will wear his jersey unless they need to.
He may be the worst NBA player to have his number retired.
When OKC retired his number, Kevin Durant showed up—despite still being persona non grata to Thunder fans after his Golden State move.
That tells you everything.
Compare how Durant talks about Collison to how he reacts whenever Perkins speaks. It’s not even close.
At the end of the day, true leadership isn’t something you claim—it’s something your teammates acknowledge. Nick Collison never had to tell people he was a leader. The Thunder, from their stars to their role players, just knew. Meanwhile, Kendrick Perkins keeps trying to insert himself into conversations where he wasn’t really a factor.
But who are we to mess with Perk? Maybe he was really a locker room leader for the Thunder during his time there. Like Collison, Perkins was part of the OKC squad that reached the 2012 NBA Finals. And before that, he won a championship with the Celtics—so he knows what it takes to win.
Maybe this is just Durant’s way of putting his former teammate in check, especially after Perk’s comments about him and how Phoenix failed to move KD out of the squad. Either way, the debate around Perkins’ role in OKC says more about how leadership is perceived than anything else. Some guys earn respect quietly. Others, well… make sure you hear about it.
Maybe it’s just his way of staying relevant in the media game. Maybe he genuinely believes his hype. Either way, the more he talks, the clearer it becomes—real leaders don’t have to remind people they were leaders.