Victor Wembanyama averaged a dominant 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.58 blocks per game in his rookie season. He played an average of 29.7 minutes a game. Credit: Meradith Garcia
TV sports analyst Kendrick Perkins is turning heads with yet another hot take. This time, the former Celtics player is getting attention for saying his “biggest regret” was voting for Rudy Gobert for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award.

For those who need a reminder, San Antonio sports fans felt cheated after Victor Wembanyama swung only 19 votes for DPOY even though the Spurs rookie had higher defensive ratings overall than Gobert.

The NBA’s DPOY distinction is voted on by a global panel of sports journalists, and the winner is determined by a ranked vote.

Apparently, one of those sports journalists casting ballots for DOPY is the ever-controversial Perkins, who said during Tuesday’s episode of ESPN’s First Take that he’s eaten up with regret for voting for Gobert over Wembanyama or Miami’s Bam Adebayo.

“Me voting this season for Rudy Gobert is an embarrassment for me for Defensive Player of the Year,” Perkins said. “He’s the first player that we see every single time in the postseason that becomes a defensive liability.”

Indeed, Gobert is only averaging 12.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and a single steal per game during the 2024 postseason. Those numbers are meager compared to the 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and astonishing 3.6 blocks Wembanyama put up during the regular season.

Perkins made it a point to call out the towering Gobert’s uninspiring average of one block per game during the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

“What is he doing right now? When you look at this series right now, do we realize that Rudy has three blocks in three games?” Perkins asked. “He’s averaging one block per game at 7-foot-3. Unacceptable.”

Perkins went on to say that Gobert’s performance has “tarnished” the DPOY award.

It’s worth noting that DPOY is based only on regular-season performance, meaning that although Gobert has struggled during the playoffs, it doesn’t really matter because the award has already been decided.

Regardless, Spurs fans took a victory lap on social media, praising Perk’s hot take.

“No shit. Victor Wembanyama is the true Defensive Player Of The Year,” Bexar County Social Apparel tweeted.

Local restauranteur Aaron Pena also chimed in, writing “DEFENSIVE LIABILITY,” accompanied by a trash can emoji.
“They robbed my man Wemby sighhh,” user Daniel Mohajer wrote on X, the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Dallas Mavericks will have a chance to send Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves to Cancun on Tuesday in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m., and the game will air on TNT.

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This article appears in May 1-14, 2024.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...