Before he was a talking head on sport's preeminent broadcast network, Kendrick Perkins was known for inflicting punishment on opposing players.

Perkins enjoyed a lengthy career in the NBA, offering his services to a number of notable sides, from the late-2000s Celtics to the early-2010s Thunder and, for a brief moment, the late-2010s Cavaliers.

A harrowing presence in the paint known for rugged defense, Perkins had plenty of flaws in his game. Yet, he still lasted more than a decade, earning more than $50 million in the process.

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

Perkins is an omnipresent figure in the basketball media landscape, but just how productive was he as a player? The Sporting News has you covered.

How good was Kendrick Perkins?

Kendrick Perkins high school career

Perkins might be known for his hot takes, but at his pomp, he was a highly regarded talent, even if his NBA numbers don't quite reflect that designation.

Perkins overcame a difficult childhood to become one of the top prospects in his class. A Nederland, Texas native, Perkins earned plaudits for his performances at the high school and AAU levels. Perkins starred at the vaunted ABCD Camp and even joined Oakland Soldiers briefly, a side that featured another highly touted high schooler: LeBron James.

“Perk was quiet, a good dude, worked hard down there in the paint," Leon Powe, Perkins' former AAU teammate, told the Boston Herald. "Wanted the ball every time, just like me, just like LeBron, just like everybody else. Our squad did a good job, especially ’Bron, passing the ball, and then we had other players from the Bay Area. It was fun, cool, playing with them as a whole.”

He drew five-star billing after leading his local high school, Ozen, to four straight district championships and a state title. Perkins' play attracted a host of suitors — he was hulking, fairly mobile around the basket, and appeared to have the makings of a good interior defender.

After landing a spot on the McDonalds All-American team, Perkins had a decision to make: keep his commitment to Memphis and its then-head coach, John Calipari, or declare for the 2003 NBA Draft. He opted for the latter.

"He's going to stay in the draft without a guarantee that he'd be in the first round. Amazing," Calipari said, per ESPN. "I'm not sure who is talking to these kids."

Kendrick Perkins NBA career

The Grizzlies took Perkins with the No. 27 pick in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft. He was summarily shipped to the Celtics alongside Marcus Banks in exchange for the rights to Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones.

Perkins played sparingly in his first few seasons in the league, serving more as an enforcer than anything else. He emerged as a starter during the 2005-06 campaign, taking on starting responsibilities full-time after Mark Blount was dealt to the Timberwolves.

By 2008, Perkins was a fixture in Boston's frontcourt. He wasn't all that skilled and wasn't tasked with providing much on the offensive end, but he fit well into the Celtics' dogged defensive structure. Playing alongside an all-time great defensive roamer like Kevin Garnett certainly aided in that dynamic.

Perkins started every game of Boston's championship run, even recording an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double in a decisive Game 6 win against the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.

In 2010, Perkins earned Defensive Player of the Year votes. Some suggest that the Celtics would've downed the Lakers in the NBA Finals again had he not torn his MCL and PCL in Game 6 of the Finals. The numbers don't quite bear that out — Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum saw their scoring and rebounding averages plummet in the final two games of the series. Nevertheless, his void was inescapable, as Los Angeles captured its 17th crown.

Perkins was traded to the Thunder partway through the 2010-11 season. He subsequently agreed to a four-year, $36 million contract extension with the franchise. That contract effectively ended the "Big Three" era in Oklahoma City — OKC was unable to sign both Serge Ibaka and James Harden to extensions, so they sent the latter to the Rockets before the 2012-13 season.

As for Perkins, his struggles became more pronounced as the years piled on. He was never all that athletic and had little flair in his offensive game. Although he kept on tallying starts, Perkins wasn't effective. His final few seasons proved unremarkable — Perkins was effectively a benchwarmer across his final three campaigns, unable to consistently crack rotations in Oklahoma City, New Orleans, or Cleveland. He retired following the conclusion of the 2017-18 season.

So, just how good was Perkins? As far as NBA players go, Perkins had a pretty successful career. He lasted some 14 years, proving a serviceable paint presence in his pomp. Perkins was good enough to start for a championship-winning side in Boston. He also was good enough to help anchor an all-world defense, at least for a fleeting moment. He only once averaged more than 10 points per game in a season (2009-10), but he shot 53% from the field for his career and averaged over 1.0 blocks per game.

Perkins wasn't a great player, though. In fact, there were years when he couldn't be considered good. Free throws (59.4% for his career) were a particular sore spot. But at his best, he was a solid, if unspectacular, big who could hold his own against some of the Eastern Conference's better post players.

Kendrick Perkins high school stats

Kendrick Perkins NBA stats

*Perkins missed the 2016-17 season after going unsigned. 

Kendrick Perkins highlights

Perkins was a "Shaqtin' a Fool" fixture during his final few seasons in the league, but with 14 years of service time under his belt, he did accrue quite a solid collection of highlights. Here's a look at some of his best moments on the hardwood as a pro.