With the rise of the transfer portal and NIL era in college sports, schools have increasingly turned to former NBA players for front-office-style leadership roles.
The latest example is Kendrick Perkins, who is set to join the Jackson State Tigers, a prominent HBCU program, in an official capacity as part of the athletic department, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Dual role at Jackson State
In addition to his responsibilities with the basketball program, Perkins told ESPN on Friday that he will also be involved with the university’s broadcast and journalism department, expanding his role beyond athletics.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity to impact young lives and pour back into my community,” Big Perk told ESPN.
Perkins collaborated with newly appointed Jackson State head coach Trey Johnson and athletic director Ashley Robinson in shaping and finalizing his new position with the program.
Jackson State is coming off a challenging 12-21 campaign and has not appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2007, a season that notably featured Johnson as a player on the Tigers roster.
A look back at Perkins’ NBA career highlights
A veteran of 14 NBA seasons, Perkins captured an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics during the 2007-08 season.
Unlike many figures now involved in college basketball, Perkins never played at the collegiate level.
After earning McDonald’s All-American honors in high school, he bypassed college entirely and declared for the 2003 NBA Draft, beginning his professional career straight out of high school.
He transitioned into media shortly after ending his playing career and has become one of the network’s most recognizable basketball voices.
Since retiring, he has become a prominent basketball analyst for ESPN, a role he is expected to maintain alongside his new responsibilities at Jackson State.
Rising NBA presence in college sports
Perkins currently serves as an NBA analyst for ESPN, a background that aligns naturally with his planned involvement in Jackson State’s journalism and broadcasting programs.
Selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, his final season came in 2017-18, when he made a lone appearance for the Cleveland Cavaliers before retiring from professional basketball.
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His appointment continues a growing trend of colleges bringing in current and former NBA figures for leadership roles.
Other notable examples include Shaquille O’Neal at Sacramento State, Stephen Curry at Davidson, John Wall at Howard, and Damian Lillard at Weber State.
