Kenan Thompson is a genius. Honestly, he’s the glue holding Studio 8H together. For decades, we’ve watched him morph into everyone from Steve Harvey to Al Sharpton, but his latest recurring bit has the sports world in a total headlock. We’re talking about the Saturday Night Live Kendrick Perkins impression that basically broke the internet in early 2025.
If you’ve watched ESPN’s First Take lately, you know the vibe. Kendrick Perkins, the former NBA big man turned analyst, is known for "Big Perk" energy—the heavy breathing, the "carry the hell on" catchphrase, and takes so hot they might actually be radioactive. SNL didn't just parody him; they captured the absolute absurdity of modern sports media.
The Sketch That Went Viral
On the March 8, 2025, episode hosted by Lady Gaga, the show decided it was time to address the elephant in the room: the sheer chaos of the NBA trade deadline and Stephen A. Smith’s massive new contract. Kenan Thompson rolled out as Perkins during Weekend Update, and it wasn't just a costume. It was a transformation.
Thompson nailed the cadence. You know that specific way Perkins sounds like he just ran a marathon while sitting in a leather chair? Kenan had it. The most memorable line? A direct shot at his ESPN colleague. Thompson, as Perkins, lamented that "Stephen A. Smith just got 100 million dollars to go on ESPN every day and talk nothing but nonsense, and I want a piece of that, too!"
💡 You might also like: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep: The Dark Folklore of a Viral Lullaby
The writing reflected the increasingly surreal nature of sports debate. At one point, Thompson-as-Perkins claimed LeBron James was actually 71 years old and working as a "French super spy" named James LeBron. It sounds ridiculous because it is, but it’s a sharp satire of the "embrace debate" culture where facts often take a backseat to entertainment.
Why the Saturday Night Live Kendrick Perkins Bit Works
Satire works best when it’s grounded in a recognizable truth. Kendrick Perkins has become a polarizing figure in sports media. Some love his "old school" grit; others think he’s just a "hot take" artist. By putting him on the Weekend Update desk next to Michael Che, SNL highlighted how sports news has basically become a variety show.
- The Physicality: Kenan’s "mean mug" and the way he hunched over the desk perfectly mirrored Perkins' defensive posture.
- The Vocabulary: The writers used "Perk-isms"—pseudo-medical terms like "interior crustaceous uterus" to describe a Luka Doncic injury.
- The Conflict: The sketch leaned heavily into the real-life friction between Perkins and Charles Barkley.
Barkley had recently called Perkins an "idiot" on air. SNL took that real-world beef and turned it into comedy gold, with Kenan’s Perkins claiming his beard wasn't even real and that he looked like "Daffy Duck when he shoots his beak off."
📖 Related: Kate Moss Family Guy: What Most People Get Wrong About That Cutaway
Real Reaction from Big Perk
Usually, when SNL roasts a public figure, they either lean into it or get defensive. Kendrick Perkins? He chose the former. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the real Perkins reacted with a string of laughing emojis and a simple "Not again 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣."
It’s a smart move. In the world of sports media, being parodied on SNL is a sign that you’ve truly "arrived." You aren't just a retired basketball player anymore; you’re a household name. Perkins understands the "theatre" of his job. He knows that the more people talk about him—even if they're making fun of his breathing—the higher his Q Score goes.
The $100 Million Context
To understand the timing of the Saturday Night Live Kendrick Perkins appearance, you have to look at what was happening at ESPN at the time. Stephen A. Smith had just signed a historic $100 million deal. The sports world was reeling from the number. SNL used the Perkins character to voice the "jealousy" and "confusion" many fans (and perhaps other analysts) felt.
👉 See also: Blink-182 Mark Hoppus: What Most People Get Wrong About His 2026 Comeback
It wasn't just a joke about Perkins; it was a critique of the "attention economy." ESPN pays for the noise. Perkins provides the noise. SNL provides the laugh. It's a closed loop of content that keeps everyone employed and everyone watching.
What This Means for SNL's Future
SNL has always struggled with sports sketches. Usually, they feel a bit dated or rely on athletes who can’t act. But by using Kenan Thompson—the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history—to play a media personality about sports, they found a winning formula.
We saw this before with his Charles Barkley and Shaq impressions. The Saturday Night Live Kendrick Perkins bit is the natural evolution of that. It’s less about the game of basketball and more about the coverage of the game. In 2026, the media is the story.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you want to catch the best of this era of SNL sports comedy, here is what you should do:
- Watch the March 2025 Weekend Update: This is the "gold standard" for the Perkins impression. Look for the specific jokes about the "Luka Dookie" injury.
- Compare with the Real "First Take": Watch a segment of the real Kendrick Perkins on ESPN right after the sketch. You’ll notice the breathing and the "keep a cool booty" phrases that Kenan mimics.
- Follow the Social Media Fallout: Often, the best parts of these sketches happen the Monday after, when the actual athletes and analysts respond on their own shows.
The "Big Perk" era of SNL isn't just a flash in the pan. As long as sports networks keep prioritizing personality over play-by-play, Kenan Thompson will have plenty of material to work with. Carry the hell on.