Longtime “Saturday Night Live” cast member, actor and comedian Kenan Thompson could have a career as an ESPN talking head if he wants. A video of Thompson impersonating ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins has gone viral, and it’s stunning how much Thompson sounds like Perk.
“Stephen A. with all due respect, Steph Curry is the worst player to ever play the game of basketball,” Thompson said imitating Perk.
Kenan Thompson Does A Perfect Perk Impersonation
The “Good Burger” actor had Perk’s mannerisms, speech pattern and Texas drawl down to an exact match. He even had a bad take, which Perk is known for.
Since he’s retired from the NBA and become a full-time media hack Perk has leaned into the art of the hot take. He beefs with players, says wild things and has become a character.
That’s what sells in today’s sports media.
Earlier this month Perk implied that then MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic won back-to-back MVPs because he’s white.
“When it comes down to guys winning MVP since 1990,” Perkins said on “First Take.” “It’s only three guys that won the MVP that weren’t top-10 in scoring. Do you know who those three guys were? Steve Nash, Jokic, and Dirk Nowitzki. What do those guys have in common? I’ll let it sit there and marinate.”
Perk has been stumping for Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid to win the award. Embiid and Jokic were to face off on Monday this week, but Embiid sat and Perk said he was ducking Jokic.
“Joel Embiid is ducking that smoke… You cannot sit out this game… When it comes down to these matchups, I have a vote [for MVP]. I’m going to remember this moment,” Perkins said on NBA Today.
Perk Is A Hot Take Master
Perk has already mastered the art of the grift. It’s genius really. He can parlay this into a very lucrative career. You won’t learn a lot from Perk but you’ll be entertained if that’s your cup of tea.
Maybe Thompson could get some stilts or lifts in his shoes so he can appear 6-10 like Perk. It could work. We have entire media outlets dedicated to lies and propaganda, so why not this?
As the regular season winds down there is still no certainty in the spots 4-10 in the Western Conference. The Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Sacramento Kings have clinched playoff spots. But their seeding isn’t locked in yet.
In the east, the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers have clinched playoff berths. Spots 5-10 are still up for grabs, though the teams that currently occupy those slots will likely remain where they are.
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently in eighth place and look to be hitting their stride while the Dallas Mavericks are 11th and fading. What a disaster.
The end of the regular season matters more now than it ever has, and we have no truly dominant team. While the Bucks, Celtics, and 76ers would be favored to beat any team that comes out of the West, they are far from perfect.
Buckle up. It’s going to be an exciting postseason, which means more hot takes from Perk and those like him.
