At first glance, it may seem amusing, but there are two crucial points to consider.
The majority of Americans rely on ESPN for accurate sports news.
If this had happened to a journalist who wasn’t a former NBA player, they would likely be fired. This is not the first time Perkins has shared information on national television that he claimed came from reliable sources, when in fact it came from fake accounts.
It’s worth noting that Kendrick Perkins has been criticized for his “takes” which some believe may have impacted Nikola Jokic’s chances of winning a third MVP award.
Fool me once … I’m Kendrick Perkins.
The former NBA big man and current ESPN analyst was duped by a viral Twitter rumor about Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, falsely claiming he had shot up to 7-foot-2.
“From reports, I’m hearing that Jonathan Kuminga is now 7-2,” Perkins said on “SportsCenter” Tuesday.
“The kid has gotten better every single season.”
The problem is, Kuminga is 6-foot-7 and has not grown seven inches in the past few months, as that would be nearly impossible.
The rumor started when a Warriors fan account posted a fake quote from Golden State guard Moses Moody, in which he “said” that Kuminga had a growth spurt.
“I’m not lying… he’s tall as f–k now,” the fake quote read, with claims that he had grown to seven feet tall.
The Twitter user who posted it quickly admitted the quote was fake after it started to take off, but former Warriors star Andre Iguodala fanned the flames of the rumor by responding directly to the first tweet.
“I just saw JK. He 7’2,” Iguodala wrote.
That’s when the joke turned into a full-fledged viral meme; a Twitter account called KumingaMuse posted a photoshopped picture of Kuminga standing next to Warriors guard Jordan Poole, appearing to tower over him.
At first, Perkins confidently stood by his statement, but later he realized he had been fooled and expressed his dislike for the a app. This raises the a concern for aspiring journalists who work hard to secure opportunities like Perkins’, only to see someone who does not conduct thorough research for their job.
Kendrick Perkins fell for the viral Twitter joke that 6'7" Jonathan Kuminga has sprouted to 7'2". 💀 pic.twitter.com/frW5W9gLTx
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 21, 2023
