Increasingly, older fans have maligned the chummy relationship between NBA players on opposite teams, especially if those teams are rivals of any sort. That’s why many find the overt antagonism between teams like the Heat and Pacers so refreshing. After tonight’s OKC win over Chicago, a brief showdown between Joakim Noah and Kendrick Perkins in the Thunder locker-room put the buddy-buddy contemporary NBA ethos to the test.
It all started when Noah was invited to the Thunder locker-room by Thabo Sefolosha, and Perkins took offense. Here’s what went down during the brief encounter, as relayed by Daily Thunder/CBS Sports scribe, Royce Young:
Thabo was apparently hanging in the Bulls locker room and then invited Noah to come in to the Thunder's while he finished interviews.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) December 20, 2013
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Joakim Noah just came in OKC's locker room hanging out with Thabo and Perk didn't like it. "We just let anyone in the locker room now?"
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) December 20, 2013
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Noah: "You want me to leave, I'll leave." Perk: "Get your ass up out of here."
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) December 20, 2013
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The exchange between Perk and Noah was really brief. It was kind of tense, but it didn't escalate to anything. Noah left when asked.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) December 20, 2013
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Pretty much all other Thunder players sided with Perk and seemed to be more unhappy with Thabo for inviting him into the locker room.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) December 20, 2013
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And here’s the full conversation between Noah and Perk, as tweeted by Oklahoman beat reporter Anthony Slater:
Was interviewing Thabo during Noah/Perk locker room argument. Here's exactly what was said: pic.twitter.com/QPlkC0QlX5
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 20, 2013
So Noah — who seems to know everyone and only appears to beef with the “Hollywood” Heat — was kicking it with Thabo and Perk took offense. After Kendrick’s polite, “get your ass outta here” Noah left without incident. And scene.
You see, while Perkins might have only a tenuous grasp of high-level professional basketball, he certainly knows how to keep possible spies out of the Thunder locker-room. That’s probably why he hasn’t been amnestied the last couple summers despite often being unable to dribble while moving. Perk’s always been considered a “good locker-room guy,” which now seems to mean: he’s a good locker-room bouncer.
What do you think of the encounter?
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