Bill Simmons Criticizes ESPN NBA Draft Coverage, Sparks Exchange with Kendrick Perkins

Bill Simmons sharply criticized ESPN's 2025 NBA Draft coverage, expressing frustration over the dual broadcasts on ESPN and ABC, and particularly mocking analyst Kendrick Perkins' claim that the Toronto Raptors could be a top-six team in the Eastern Conference. Simmons described choosing which telecast to watch as agonizing, likening it to self-harm, and highlighted several on-air gaffes, such as misnaming a draft pick. Perkins responded on social media, accusing Simmons of jealousy and questioning his basketball credentials, despite Simmons' extensive background covering the NBA, including prior roles at ESPN and authoring a respected NBA history book. The criticism extended to team decisions, with Simmons condemning the New Orleans Pelicans' trade of their 2025 first-round pick and a future unprotected pick, calling it one of the worst trades of the decade and questioning the franchise's rebuilding strategy under Joe Dumars. Both Simmons and Perkins' exchanges reflect broader discontent with ESPN's NBA coverage approach, which fans and critics feel focuses too much on personalities rather than the games or draft analysis. This ongoing public feud between Simmons and Perkins underscores tensions within sports media regarding coverage quality and analyst credibility.