April 28, 2005

Interview With Kendrick Perkins

If you look around the locker room of the Boston Celtics, you’ll find a number of young faces. None is easier to spot than 2^nd year Center Kendrick Perkins. Perkins, 20, is the definition of a man-child, at 6’10” and 280 lbs. While he is currently a reserve, big things are expected from the big man from Texas in the not-to-distant future. We had a chance to sit down with Perkins and talk about refs, his unbelievable work ethic, and getting respect from the officials.

GK: Talk about this year.  You've been in and out of the lineup, and then in and out again, and now you are back in.  What's that been like?

Kendrick Perkins: It's been different, Doc’s been trying to find ways to work me in.  Some games I may not play, some games I may play a lot.  It's really just not in my hands.  So really I just got to be ready to play.

GK: After sitting all of last year, is any playing time special for you?

KP: Any playing time is a good feeling.  I'm grateful for any minutes.

GK: Let's talk about the communication last year.  Did they let you know beforehand that you were going to be sitting just about the entire year?

KP: No, but they're not supposed to tell me.  I'm just supposed to come to work everyday, and whatever happens, happens.

GK: Did they tell you to stay ready?

KP: They always gave me encouraging words like “stay ready,” or “don't put your head down.”

GK: I want to go into your conditioning.  What was it like to come in and have the coaches say that you weren’t in good enough shape and that they were going to work you out all year after you were such a star in high school?

KP: It's hard.  I think it's hard for anybody.  You come from being a star in school in and you come to a team.  And you're a role player.  It's a big change, but you gotta adjust.

GK: Now that you've been through the conditioning drill for year and a half, is it any easier?

KP: I just keep on going hard. I’m not in the best shape that I want to be in, but I've got to just keep on working out.

GK: This year, now that you're getting some playing time, is it easier for you to work out, knowing that you might be rewarded for your hard work?
KP: Yeah, but you've got to limit how much you work out.  You don't to want work out too hard.  Last year, I was really working hard to get ready for this year, because I knew I wasn't going to play last year.  So this year, I'm just trying to stay ready.

GK: Do you see yourself as the enforcer on this team in any way? 
KP: I wouldn't say that.  Every night somebody brings different energy.  We've got different influences in their own way.  Like I said, I just play my role.

GK: Are you worried about being labeled a tough guy by the league?
KP: No, I'm not worried about that.  I'm not trying get that title.

GK: What about in terms of the referees calling fouls against you?
KP: No.  I'm not worried.

GK: At the time when Antoine Walker came back, you had just made your way into the rotation and then had to go back to the bench.  Was that frustrating for you?
KP: Yeah, it was tough, but it was out of my hands. I couldn't do anything about it.

GK: You recently got your first start against Washington.  Was that thrilling for you?
KP: It was.  I was a little nervous at the beginning, but after that I was ready.

GK: In that and in a lot of other games, you picked up a bunch of fouls and in a very short amount of time.  Do you think the refs are trying to teach you a lesson?
KP: I don't know, but you know, it happens like that sometimes.  Sometimes you do have foul trouble and it just happened to me in my first start.

GK: Is there any way to fix that foul trouble?
KP: It just comes with time.