Kendrick Perkins Agrees to Become Jackson State MCBB GM, 'Thankful For This Opportunity'

ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins has agreed to become Jackson State men's basketball's next general manager, per ESPN's Shams Charania, who added that Perkins will also serve as a connection to JSU's broadcast and journalism program.

"I'm thankful for this opportunity to impact young lives and pour back into my community," Perkins said, per Charania.

The 41-year-old Perkins played 14 NBA seasons for the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Pelicans.

The C's selected Perkins, a high school star at Clifton J. Ozen in Beaumont, Texas, with the 27th overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. He was the starting center on the 2007-08 NBA champion Celtics and Boston's 2009-10 Eastern Conference-winning squad as well.

Charania provided more insight on the move.

"Perkins worked closely with Jackson State men's basketball coach Trey Johnson and vice president and director of athletics Ashley Robinson to finalize the new role.

"Perkins adds the new GM role to his ESPN position and becomes the latest retired or active NBA player to take an administrative position in college basketball, joining most recently John Wall (HBCU Howard), Stephen Curry (Davidson), Trae Young (Oklahoma) and others."

Jackson State is looking for its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007. The Tigers have enjoyed great success in the SWAC, to the point where the HBCU has gone .500 or better in conference from 2014-15 to the present date.

However, a tournament appearance has eluded the Tigers, who most recently made the conference tournament final in 2025.

Last year's team took a step back, going 12-21 overall and 10-8 in conference, finishing tied for fourth in the league. The Tigers had a tough result in the SWAC tournament, losing to Florida A&M in the quarterfinals.

Last April, Jackson State hired a new head coach, Trey Johnson, who served as the program's associate head coach for four seasons under head coach (and former NBA guard) Mo Williams, who left to become an assistant at Kentucky. Johnson became the team's interim head coach before having the interim tag removed.

Now Perkins, who became an ESPN analyst in 2019 shortly after his retirement, is aboard as the program's GM.