ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins offers regret to San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama for not voting for the rookie as Defensive Player of the Year.

Kendrick Perkins has been feeling rather apologetic lately. Following his public regret over how he treated Kyrie Irving, the ESPN analyst offered another public lament. Shockingly, it’s over a rookie. San Antonio Spurs Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year, and Perkins apologized for not voting for the native Frenchman.

“I have the biggest regret in my media career…I have done a disservice in using my [NBA Award] voting rights. Me voting this season for Rudy Gobert is an embarrassment for me, for Defensive Player of the Year”, Perkins said on First Take.

Perkins went on a monologue on how Minnesota Timberwolves Rudy Gobert didn’t deserve the award in light of his playoff performances. The former Oklahoma City Thunder center accused Gobert of “tarnishing” the Defensive Player of the Year award.

You can credit Wembanyama without wrongly discrediting Gobert for winning a regular-season award. Regardless of the postseason outcome, the Timberwolves had the best defense for the 2023-2024 season, whereas the Spurs ranked 22nd. Despite one’s argument for a player having individual defensive metrics, ignoring the team’s overall defense essentially ignores historical precedent.

Every Defensive Player of the Year winner in this century suited up for a top-10 defense. For as much as Wembanyama statistically achieved, he didn’t anchor a legitimate defense. The soon-to-be All-Star center will get his time soon. However, playing revisionist history doesn’t help anyone.

Despite not winning the prestigious award, Wembanama did earn NBA All-Defensive First Team honors, which alludes to the San Antonio star’s potential greatness.

As usual, First Take takes the extreme of the argument. What will Perkins regret next?