Kendrick Perkins has called Bill Simmons "bitter" in their ongoing feud over comments made during the 2025 NBA Draft.
On Friday (June 27), Perk continued his war of words with Simmons, asking who put him in charge to comment on the game of basketball. The rift began when Perkins declared Toronto's first-round draft pick was enough to catapult the Raptors into the top six of the Eastern Conference.
Simmons was taken aback by Perkins' bold prediction and mocked it during his live reaction to the draft, joking it was reason enough to "find a third option" beyond ESPN or ABC's broadcasts. Perkins wasn't fond of Simmons' take and proceeded to take aim at him with a rant that questioned Simmons' credibility and résumé.
"My problem with you is, who the fuck gave you the keys and told you [that] you was the gatekeeper for the game of basketball?" said Perkins. "That's my problem with you. You're gatekeeping. Who died and gave you the keys to say that you're the gatekeeper of basketball?"
He continued, "Just because people don't speak the way that you don't want them to speak, doesn't make it wrong. Just because ESPN don't cover it the way you would like them to cover the game of basketball or the tweets you would like them to make, don't make it fucking wrong. And it's crazy because, Bill, y'all separated over a decade ago. I'm talking about you and ESPN. And you coming off bitter, my guy."
Perkins then said Simmons is more focused on "gossiping" than actually covering the game. These comments come a day after Perkins sat in his car and called out Simmons, calling him a "cupcake ass" and more.
"Always got my name in his mouth," said Perkins. "I don't know who anointed you the preacher, the king, the head honcho of overseeing basketball, the way things need to be. What have you done? What have you done. What have you done, period, in the game of basketball? Have you ever played?"
He added, "I usually don't even address people because I don't really care about it, but it's pissing me off because you feel like you sitting on this thrown. You got in your feelings because I said that I felt like the Toronto Raptors are gonna be a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference this upcoming season. So? That wasn't a crazy take or anything to that nature. It's a real thing, fool."
