NBA
Anthony Davis was called out by Kendrick Perkins for being ‘out of shape’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated4 hours ago on October 03, 2025
Monday, October 6, is the Dallas Mavericks’ first preseason game for 2025-26. They will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road for a neutral-site game.
Dallas had a new-look roster for the 2025-26 season compared to the beginning of 2024-25. The team has added legitimate talent to compete in a tough Western Conference. One of those players is 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis. He’s set to enter his first full season with the Mavericks. Recently, the 32-year-old was called out by ESPN studio analyst Kendrick Perkins. He claimed that Davis came into traning camp “out of shape.”
Anthony Davis reportedly put on 15 pounds since last year’s traning camp
Kendrick Perkins calls out Anthony Davis for being out of shape
“You have a rookie in Cooper Flagg, who is your number one pick that’s coming in, and what kind of example is that to show him? Two, you are in a tough western conference that’s loaded. Three, you was traded for an… pic.twitter.com/a6QxXSDD3G
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 2, 2025
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Mavs’ Anthony Davis has been called out by ESPN studio analyst Kendrick Perkins. The former NBA player recently said he is “a little disappointed” in Davis. He believed Davis would have entered traning camp in the best shape of his life. That is not the case for Davis this preseason. According to reports around the league, Davis has put on 15 pounds since his traning camp last year with the Lakers.
On ESPN, Kendrick Perkins listed three reasons why he is “disappointed” in Anthony Davis. First off, he said that Davis is not setting a strong example for rookie Cooper Flagg. Coming into the season in tip-top shape would set a precedent for a young player like the #1 pick in 2025. Anthony Davis has slipped and is heavier than he has been in the past.
“I’m very disappointed or a little disappointed in Anthony Davis because I thought he would come in and be on a mission.”@KendrickPerkins weighs in on Anthony Davis and his fitness coming into training camp 👀 pic.twitter.com/NRTlOCcjI4
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 2, 2025
Next, Kendrick Perkins mentioned that Dallas plays in a “loaded” Western Conference. He is not wrong in saying that. Several teams in the West believe they can compete for a championship. The Mavericks are one of them. It could take Davis a few weeks to a month to play his way into shape, as he’s 15 pounds heavier during the preseason.
Finally, Kendrick Perkins mentioned Anthony Davis’ status on the Mavs roster. He was traded at the 2024-25 deadline for Luka Doncic. Perkins noted how Davis is the top dog on Dallas’ roster. The team will rely heavily on Anthony Davis for the upcoming season. Can the one-time NBA champion deliver and take the Mavs on a deep run in the playoffs?
