Everyone who’s been following this team for the past few years knows Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo developed a very close friendship over their first few years with the team. Rondo’s post-Perk trade funk has widely been blamed on him sulking over the team sending away his best buddy.
But a change in uniform doesn’t mean there’s a change in their friendship. And when his best bud went down with a torn ACL, Kendrick Perkins sprung into action… because that’s what Perk does.
“When you hear stuff like that, especially with a close friend, it’s always disturbing,” said Perkins. “So I just wanted to call and make sure that he was all right as far as mentally and just getting ready. Because it takes a focus to go through that process of surgery and the recovery of it.
“So I just wanted to give him some advice on his health and second opinions and how to go about his rehab and just let him know that I’m here for him.”
Rondo was selected as an All-Star starter but told Perkins he won’t be attending All-Star Weekend.
“So I’m going to go down there [to Rondo’s home in Kentucky] for a day or two and just go hang out with him,” said Perkins. “Because he probably might have the surgery before then. So just go down there and give him a little comfort.
“We talk every day, so it wasn’t nothing unusual. But when I heard about it, we played that night and then I called him right after the game.”
This is the kind of stuff that makes people miss Perk. No one is ever going to pretend he’s an All Star, but he worked in the C’s system, and more importantly, he worked with the guys in the locker room.
I don’t mean to dredge up the memories of that day, and I certainly understand the motivation behind that trade, but there’s no denying that Perk is one loyal dude, and he’ll be there for his friends and teammates.
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