Kendrick Perkins has a new job.
Perkins, the ex-NBAer turned ESPN basketball analyst, is now taking a job with Jackson State as the general manager of its basketball program, per ESPN.
It appears, though, that he will still stay with the network despite the new position, with teammate Shams Charania reporting Perkins “adds” this responsibility to his ESPN duties.
That hasn’t always been the case for those taking on executive responsibilities for college programs.
Former ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski left the company when he become the general manager at St. Bonaventure University, his alma mater, in 2024.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity to impact young lives and pour back into my community,” Perkins said in a statement to ESPN.
Perkins will now be a top decision-maker for an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and this announcement came on Juneteenth.
The school has made an effort in the sports world in the last few years, as NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was their head football coach for two years, bringing with him future Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and his son Shedeur Sanders, both of whom are playing in the NFL right now.
Jackson State’s basketball program was not great last year, though, posting a 12-21 record, and their coach, former Cavaliers star Mo Williams, left to be an assistant coach at Kentucky.
His son, Mason Williams, a four-star recruit, previously committed to Jackson State but has since de-committed and will instead join his father with the Wildcats.
The school hopes to get a legitimate recruit with Perkins now factoring into the program’s recruiting strategy, just as they did with Sanders in football.
