ESPN’s Shams Charania has reported that fellow network analyst and former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins has agreed to become the men’s basketball general manager at Jackson State. Perkins will remain in his role at ESPN while assuming this new responsibility. He will also be involved with Jackson State’s broadcast and journalism program.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity to impact young lives and pour back into my community,” Perkins told ESPN.

Perkins played 14 seasons in the NBA, winning an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics during the 2007-08 season. He has been an analyst for ESPN since 2019.

Jackson State finished 12-21 last season and has not appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2007, when Johnson was a player in the program. Perkins joins a growing list of current and former NBA players who have accepted administrative and support roles at the college level, including Shaquille O’Neal (Sacramento State), Stephen Curry (Davidson), John Wall (Howard) and Damian Lillard (Weber State).